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■  I 

PROCEEDINGS  OF 

SPECIAL 

CONVENTION 

OF 

fetate  Ptancf) 

American  Jf  Etieration  of  Hahor 


HELD  AT  WORCESTER 
JANUARY  22,  23,  24,  1917 

Printed  on  Union  Watermark  Paper 


Alden  Press,  Printers 
214  Maple  St.,  Holyoke 


X 
X 
X 

X 


OFFICERS 

American  jFebetation  of  Habor 


GEORGE  H.  WRENN,  President 
421  Maple  Street,  Springfield 


VICE-PRESIDENTS 

J.  WALTER  MULLEN,  31  Ditson  Street,  Dorchester 

WILLIAM  E.  WARD,  1104  Columbus  Avenue,  Roxbury 

THOMAS  H.  GERRAUGHTY,  183  Court  Street,  Boston 

WILLIAM  A.  NEALEY,  ^  35  Mum-oe  Street,  Lynn 

FRANK  A.  WARNOCK,  13  Wamiset  Street,  LoweU 


MARTIN  T.  JOYCE,  Secretary-Treasurer 
426-427  Old  South  Building,  Boston 


LEGISLATIVE  COMMITTEE 

HENRY  STERLING  JOHN  MACDOUGALL 

ARTHUR  N.  HARRIMAN 


PROCEEDINGS  OF 

SPECIAL 

CONVENTION 

OF 

^tate  Prancf) 

American  Jf  ebcration  ot  ILabor 


^mwil 


aia^ai 


HELD  AT  WORCESTER 
JANUARY  22,  23,  24,  1917 

Printed  on   Union  Watermark  Paper 


Alden  Press,  Printers 
214  Maple  St.,   Holyoke 


FIRST  DAY— MORNING  SESSION 

The  Special  Convention  of  the  Massachusetts  State  Branch,  Ameri- 
can Federation  of  Labor,  was  called  to  order  January  22,  1917  in  A.  O.  H. 
Hall,  Worcester,  Mass.,  at  10  A.  M.  by  President  George  H.  Wrenn. 

President  Wrenn  appointed  Bernard  A.  Sundin  Sergeant-at-Arms. 

WILLIAM  H.  THORNTON,  President  of  the  Worcester  Central 
Labor  Union,  was  introduced  and  spoke  as  follows: 

Delegates  to  the  Special  Convention  of  the  State  Branch:  I  wish 
at  this  time  on  behalf  of  the  Worcester  Central  Labor  Union  to  extend 
to  you  the  greetings  and  welcome  of  organized  labor  of  Worcester. 
I  am  sure  that  your  deliberations  at  this  convention  will  tend  to  cement 
the  feelings  of  harmony  that  prevail  at  the  present  time.  His  Honor, 
the  Mayor,  is  with  us  and  I  understand  he  is  in  a  hurry  to  get  away. 
I  take  pleasure  at  this  time  in  introducing  to  you  the  Mayor  of  our 
City,  Hon.  Pehr.  Holmes. 

MR.  HOLMES,  said  in  part:  I  welcome  you  to  Worcester  in  the 
name  of  the  city  which  always  is  deeply  interested  in  that  which  pertains 
not  only  to  the  common  good  of  the  citizens  but  to  the  good  of  the 
commonwealth  as  a  whole.  Here  in  Worcester  we  aim  to  take  an  active 
interest  in  any  proposed  legislation  or  action  which  may  be  of  vital  im- 
portance to  ourselves  and  to  others  in  the  state,  and  by  so  doing  are 
actuated  to  work  for  the  common  good  of  all. 

I  believe,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  you  are  doing  well  to  consider 
the  revision  of  the  constitution  of  Massachusetts.  Revision  of  the  con- 
stitution is  a  matter  of  extreme  importance  one  demanding  the  most 
careful  consideration  and  one  in  which  every  citizen  should  be  interested. 

The  interest  which  you  have  taken  in  the  forthcoming  changes 
of  the  constitution  by  assembling  here  today  for  a  general  discussion 
of  the  matter  is  to  be  commended  in  th^  highest  degree.  Perhaps  in 
these  busy  days  many  citizens  are  not  inclined  to  take  the  deep  interest 
they  should  in  matters  which  so  vitally  affect  the  laws  and  customs  under 
which  we  work  and  live.  I  trust  that  other  bodies,  societies  and  citizens 
will  give  the  work  of  revision  the  same  close  and  careful  attention  which 
you  evidently  plan  to  give  it. 

Many  assert  that  there  is  need  of  a  sweeping  revision  in  our  present 
constitution,  and  in  support  of  this  contention  point  out  that  there  has 
been  no  revision  or  change  for  a  number  of  years.  Perhaps  these  men  are 
right  in  the  sweeping  statements  they  make,  but  there  are  many  who  will 

3 


not  agree  with  them.     The  importance  of  the  work  which  the  Constitu- 
tional Convention  will  take  up  cannot  be  over  estimated. 

I  firmly  believe,  and  there  are  many  who,  I  think  will  agree  with 
me,  that  we  should  proceed  with  the  utrnost  caution  in  the  matter  of 
making  any  radical  changes  in  a  document  under  which  we  have  enjoyed 
liberty,  happiness  and  material  prosperity  for  a  number  of  years.  If 
there  are  to  be  changes  in  the  constitution,  they  should  come  only  after 
a  most  careful  deliberation  and  due  consideration  of  the  matter  in  hand. 

I  think  perhaps  the  best  advice  to  be  given  in  this  matter  is:  go 
slowly.  It  should  always  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  future  as  well  as 
the  present  miust  be  taken  into  consideration,  and  that  cool,  calm  counsel 
in  matters  of  this  kind  always  brings  the  most  lasting  and  satisfactory 
results. 

The  fundamental  principles  of  our  constitution  cannot  very  well 
be  changed  without  striking  a  death-blow  at  those  sacred  institutions 
to  whose  maintenance  we  have  always  striven  to  dedicate  our  best 
efforts.  Our  own  state  constitution  is  a  great  deal  like  that  of  the  United 
States,  which  even  the  most  radical  will  admit  is  a  masterly  document, 
and  one  under  which  we  have  grown  into  a  great  and  prosperous  nation. 

Our  state  Constitution,  like  that  of  the  United  States,  secures  the 
existence  of  the  body  politic,  and  furnishes  protection  for  the  individuals 
who  foster  it,  assuring  them  the  enjoymicnt  of  safety,  tranquility  of  their 
.natural  rights  and  blessings  of  life.  The  underlying  principle  of  both 
Constitutions  is  equality  for  all,  a  doctrine  which  I  believe  we  may  well 
subscribe  to  at  all  times. 

It  was  a  sturdy  citizenry  which  drafted  our  original  constitution. 
They  came  to  these  shores  that  they  might  enjoy  religious  freedom, 
equal  rights,  and  set  up  a  government  ensuring  equality  for  all  men. 
These  men  in  drafting  the  Constitution  left  the  indelible  print  of  their 
convictions  on  its  pages.  They  insured  freedom  in  the  worship  of  God, 
freedom  of  the  press,  encouragement  in  education  and  literature,  equality 
and  justice,  sounding  the  death  knell  of  ex-post  facto  laws  and  in  short 
devised  that  which  in  plain  English  is  designed  to  give  everybody  a 
square  deal.  They  wanted  just  what  you  and  I  want — justice  for  you 
and  justice  for  me. 

I  want  to  thank  you  for  this  opportunity  of'  coming  here  and  saying 
a  few  words  this  morning,  and  wish  you  all  success  in  your  undertaking 
during  this  convention.      (Applause). 

Secretary  Martin  T.  Joyce,  for  the  Committee  on  Credentials, 
submitted   the  following  report: 

We,    your    Committee    on    Credentials,    respectfully    submit    this 


report,  and  recommend  that  the  following  delegates  be  seated  in   this 
conventiorj: 


BOSTON 

Apartment   House  Janitors', 
14936 

Wm.  P.  O'Donnell 
Asbestos  Workers',  6 

Abram  Olson 
Barbers',  182 

Joseph  F.  Donovan 
Bartenders',  77     ' 

Thomas  H.  Gerraughty 
Mark  Kelleher 
John  W.  Conley 
Richard  W.  Garrity 
James  Mantle    . 

Boston  Carmen,  589 

Thomas  G.  Doyle 
Matthias  J.  Nesdale 
Charles  N.  Ross 
James  Donovan 
Matthew  McCar  hy 
Moses  F.  Blount 
Matthew  McLaughlin 
Charles  H.  Clark 
George  A.  McMenimen 
Timothy  J.  Regan 
Eugene  F.  Sullivan 
William  J.  Timmins 
Fr^ank  J.  Long 
Louis  Strecker 
Peter  J.  Murphy 
Ambrose  Pugh 
William  Thompson 
Patrick  Smyth 
Ernest  O.  M.  C.  Fehrnstrom 
John  Hurley 
Patrick  O'Neil 
John  M.  Dahill 
William  T.  Sharp 
Christopher  Dwyer 
James  F.  Cannon 


James  Donahoe 
Peter  Rourke 
James  Bird 
Timothy  J.  Mahoney 
Margaret  Brat  tin 

Boot  &  Shoe  Workers',  229 

Charles  Holmes 
Roscoe  Harden 

Brewery  Workers',  14 

Konrad  Young 

Brewery  Workers',  29 

William  E.  Ward 
John  C.  Casey 
John  J.  Burke 
Bottlers'  &  Drivers',  122 

M.  J.  Hines 
William  Kobs 
James  McCluskey 

Bridge  Tenders',  12333 

Francis  F.  Morse 
Carriage  Drivers'  &  Chauffeurs', 
126 

Williarh  D.  Murphy 

Central  Labor  Union 

Edward  J.  McGrady 
N.  J.  Nally 

Cigarmakers',  97 

Aaron  Velleman 
Frank  H.  McCarthy 
M.  A.  Cook 
Coal  Teamsters'  &  Chauffeurs', 
68 
John  J.  Fenton 
John  R.  Lynch 
John  F.  English 

Composition  Roofers',  Damp  & 
Waterproof,  20 

Andrew  J.  Scanlon 


Coopers',  89 

Matthew  Cody 
Electrical  Workers',  103 

John  J.  Queeney 

Martin  T.  Joyce 
Electrical  Workers',  104 

John  A.  McGarry 

Timothy  F.  Murphy 
Electrical  Workers',  396 

Joseph  E.  Fitzgerald 

Electrical  Workers',  503 

Henry  D.  Cahill 

Elevator  Constructors',  4 

John  C.  MacDonald 
Engineers',  4 

Arthur  M.  Huddell 
Engineers',  16 

Joseph  A.  Nash 
Engineers',  263 

H.  M.  Comerford 
Firemen,  3 

P.  J.  Thornton 

John  F.  McNamara 
Hotel  &  Restaurant  Employes', 
34 

Patrick  O'Connell 

John  J.  Kearney 

David  Alpem 

John  E.  Finnigan 

Otto  EbeHng 
Inside  Telephone  Men,  142 

George  F.  Mahoney 

John  A.  Donoghue 

George  L.  Kelley 

J.  Walter  Mullen 
Horseshoers',  5 

Dennis  D.  Driscoll 
International  Molders',  106 

James  B.  Crowley 

William  J.  Doherty 

William  Grey 
.  William  John 


Journeymen  Stonecutters 

John  F.  Stevens 
Laundry  Workers',  66 

.  Michael  J.  O'Leary 
Machinists'   264 

John  J.  Connolly 
Marble  &  Mosaic,  14668 

Ignatius  McNulty 
Moving  Picture  Operators' 

William  C.  Francke 
Musicians',  9 

Frederick  C.  Kingman 

W.  A.  Barr'ngton  Sargent 

George  Lee 
Newswagon  Drivers  ,  259 

Abraham  Pearlstein 

T.  A.  Corcoran 
Newspaper  Writers',  1 

John  Weaver  Sherman 
Printing  Pressmen,  67 

J.  Frank  O'Hare 
Sheet  Metal  Workers',  17 

James  T.  Moriarty 
Sprinkler  Fitters',  669 

E.  J.  Meehan 
Stable  &  Garagemen,  367 

Michael  A.  Murphy 
Steamfitters',  537 

Joseph  P.  Glavin 

M.  J.  Foley 
Steamfitters'  Helpers',  635 

Charles  Mehegan 
Stenographers',  14965 

M'ss  Eileen  Hurley 
Team  Drivers'   25 

John  M.  Gillespie 

Joseph  J.  Hunt 

Michael  J.  O'Donnell 
Telephone  Operators',  lA 

Mary  A.  Mahoney 

May  E.  Matthews 

Julia  S.  O'Connor 


Theatrical  Stage  Employes' 

John  J.  Barry 

Fred  Dempsey 
Tile  Layers',  22 

Jamene  Bone 
Typographical,  13 

Edward  M.  Martin 

Margaret  Doherty 

Henry  Sterling 

J  .Curtis  Ellis 

S.  J.  McBride 
United  Hatters',  6 

Charles  Morris 
United  Housesmiths  &  Bridge- 
men,  7 

H.  B.  SulHvan 
Waitresses',  112 

Delia  A.  Hurley 

Mary  A.  Taber 

Bessie  C.  Irving 
Wood,  Wire  &  Metal  Lathers', 
72 

Edward  M.  Kelly 
Federal  Labor  Union,  15385 

W.  J.  Burke 

C.  J.  Scollard 
Tile  Layers'  Helpers',  36 

Bart  Ryan 

BROCKTON 
Street  Railway  Employes',  235 

P.  F.  Sheehan 
F.  C.  Kimball 
Bakery  &  Confectionery  Work- 
ers', 180 

Bart  Egan 
Boot  &  Shoe  Workers',  38 

John  P.  Meade 
Daniel  Harrington 
John  T.  Corcoran 
Maurice  F.  Dalton 
Eugene  Sweeney 
Boot  &  Shoe  Workers',  118 
Joseph  D.  Poitras 


Central  Labor  Union 

E.  Gerry  Brown 

Walter  F.  Russell 
Electrical  Workers',  223 

Kenneth  F.  Morgan 
Finishers',  37 

Frank  Moriarty 
Moving  Picture  Operators',  437 

George  L.  Henault 
Musicians'  Protective,  138 

James  C.  Mullen 
Sole  Fasteners'  &  Rough  Round- 
ers', HI 

Emmet  T.  Walls 
Sole  Leather  Workers',  74 

Michael  J.  Cohan 

James  M.  Wood 

John  J.  McMorrow 

Joseph  Carver 

Paul  M.  Perrier 

CAMBRIDGE 

Central  Labor  Union 

Michael  D.  Collins 

Robert  E.  Martin 
Cambridge  City  Employes',  8279 

John  J.  Fitzgerald 
Packing  House  Employes',  383 

John  F.  Barr 

CHELSEA 

Central  Labor  Union 

Philip  Mekelberg 
Kalman  Dissler 
Street  Carmen,  240 

John  J.  Sullivan 
Jerimiah  Lynch 
Leo  F.  Lawlor 
Marty  F.  McDonough 

FALL   RIVER 
Brewery  Workers' 

Edward  Regan 


Central  Labor  Union 

Benjamin  Soprenko 
Carmen's  Union,  174 

Frank  O'Keefe 
William  Keating' 

CHICOPEE 
Bartenders',  116 

Thomas  McCoubrej 

FITCHBURG 
Central  Labor  Union 

Charles  Sweeney 
John  H.  Roche 
Bartenders',  97 

Louis  St.  Germain 

HAVERHILL 
Carpenters' 

C.  R.  McGuire 
Central  Labor  Union 

Fred  M.  Knight 
Frank  W.  Varney 
Teamsters' 

John  McDougall 

HOLYOKE 
Bartenders',  81 

Patrick  F.  Flynn 
Carpenters',  656 

H.  Bleakley 
Central  Labor  Union 

Edward  S.  Alden 
Brewery  Workmen,  12 J 

John  F.  Geary 
Millwrights'  &  Shop  Hands', 
1350 

L  Lapierre 
Painters',  253 

A.  L.  Lamarsh 

LAWRENCE 
Bartenders',  90 

James  Hickey 


Boot  &  Shoe  Workers',  119 

John  F.  Manning 

Henry  J.  Godin 
Bottlers  &  Drivers',  119 

Edward  Walsh 
Brewery  Workers',  125 

Michael  Traymore 
Carpenters',  HI 
Mervin  Boomhover 

John  Reynolds 
Central  Labor  Union 

James  R.  Menzie 

John  L.  Johnson 
Stationary  Firemen,  18 

William  Dawson 
Street  Carmen,  261 

William  P.  Reilly 

LOWELL 
Bartenders',  85 

John  J.  Quirk 
Molders',  85 

Wilbur  J.  McGrady 
Street  Carmen,  280 

Fred  Crowley 
Trades  &  Labor  Council 

Francis  A.  Warnock 
Charles  E.  Anderson 

LUDLOW 
Textile  Workers' 

Margaret  Cleary 

LYNN 

Street  Railway  Men,  238 

Lawrence  Curtin 
Barbers',  347 

Frank  Rogers 
Carpenters',  595 

John  D.  Cowper 
A.  W.  Clark 
Central  Labor  Union 

William  A.  Nealey 
J.  D.  Dullea 


Teamsters' 

Edward  J.  Keefe 
Thomas  Joyce 
Painters',  111 

Ed.  January 

MARLBORO 
Telephone  Operators' 

Lillian  E.  M.  Pratt 

MAYNARD 
Mule  Spinners',  787 

Thomas  A.  Breck 

NEW  BEDFORD 
Barbers',  447 

Phillip  Monty,  Jr. 
Bartenders',   100 

Michael  H.  Sullivan 
Brewery  Workers',  197 

Conrad  Young 
Central  Labor  Union 

Arthur  N.  Harriman 
Spinners' 

Joseph  Newsham 

George  Walker 
House  Painters',  691 

George  Richards 

PITTSFIELD 
Barbers',  127 

William  Boos 

OUINCY 
Street  Railway  Men,  253 

Louis  Malnati 

ROCKLAND 
Boot  &  Shoe  Workers',  48 

Joseph  R.  Parker 
Fred  Ryan 
Joseph  Campbell 
Joseph  O'Donnell 
Frank  Jones 
Central  Labor  Union 
James  F.  Donahoe 


READING 
Street  Railway  Men,  249 

Alex  Smyth 

SALEM 
Barbers',  185 

Silas  N.  Lapham 
Central  Labor  Union 

John  P.  O'Connell 
John  C.  Whiting 
Plumbers',  138 

Albert  F.  Teague 

SPRINGFIELD 
Bakers',  32 

R.  E.  Menzell 
Barbers',  30 

H.  C.  Niebuhr 
Bottlers  &  Drivers',  143 

Hugh  F.  Bo  wen 
Carpenters'  &  Joiners',  96 

George  L,  Stebbins 

Joseph  M.  Hervino 
Carpenters'  &  Joiners',  177 

A.  J.  Bromley 

Thomas  Russell 
Central  Labor  Union 

Vincent  Greenan 

Thomas  McCarroll 
City  Federation  of  Labor,  14895 

Joan  Gordon 
Cigarmakers',  49 

Wm.  McCarthy 
Cooks'  &  Waiters',  273 

Fred  M.  Shaw 
Common  Laborers',  47 

William  G.  Lodi 

Tony  Scordino 

Felix  Cincis 
Electrical  Workers',  7 

James  Gilhooley 
Machinists',  214 

Charles  Hill 

A.  N,  Dorion 

9 


E.  C.  Davison 
Wm.  Larkin 

Metal  Polishers',  30 

M.  J.  Harkley 
Moving  Picture  Operators',  186 

John  F.  Gatelee 
Painters'  &  Decorators',  257 

F.  E.  Lonergan 
Pattern  Makers', 

Robert  Buntin 
Journeymen  Tailors',  26 

Otto  Ibscher 
Schoolhouse  Custodians',  13152 

Robert  Case 
Tobacco  Strippers',  9608 

Katherine  McKenzie 

Mary  Garvey 
Toolmakers',  682 

N.  A.  Smith 
Wire  Weavers' 
John  F.  Curley 

TAUNTON 
Taunton  C.  L.  U. 

Wm.  H.  Phipps 
Stove  Mounters',  40 

Thomas  Hartigan 

WALTHAM 
Bricklayers',  Masons'  &  Plas- 
terers' 

Denis  J.  Mahoney 

WESTFIELD 
Central  Labor  Union 

S.  J.  T.  Wall 
Machinists',  704 

Joseph  V.  Cusson 

WORCESTER 
Barbers',  186 

Ernest  H.  Tosi 
Bartenders',  95 

James  H.  Loughlin 


Bottlers  and  Drivers',  180 

Peter  Lavin 
United  Brewery  Workmen,  136 

Patrick  J.  Mahoney 
Bridge    &    Structural    Iron- 
Workers* 

Gus  Berquist 
Carpenters',  23 

Charles  D.  Pike 
Carpenters',  408 

Auguste  Lemay,  Jr. 
Carpenters',  720 

Gilbert  Newman 
Carpenters',  877 

Bennet  F.  Gordon 
Central  Labor  Union 

James  S.  Noonan 

William  H.  Haskins 
Cigarmakers',  92 

Louis  Gero 
Electrical  Workers',  96 

Wm.  P.  Gannon 
Metal  Polishers',  33 

John  Buckley 
Molders',  5 

Wm.  H.  Thornton 

Joseph  E.  Johnson 
Painters',  48 

James  E.  Heffron 
Steamfitters',  408 

M.  F.  Garrett 
Street  Railway  Men,  22 

Peter  J.  Rooney 

John  P.  Broderick 

Thomas  F.  Broderick 

George  LaPrade 

Thomas  F.  Lonergan 
Theatrical  Stage  Employes', 
96 

George  F.  Rock 
Typographical,  165 

William  H.  Sullivan 


10 


Wholesale  Wine  Clerks',  843  PROVIDENCE,  R.  I. 

David  J.  Hannigan  Roderick  A.  McGerry 

Electrical  Workers',  616  Edward  J.  McGuirk 

John  McElroy 
W .  Stone  ^  .      ^    ^ 

John  J.  Lugan 
Fraternal  Delegates  j^^^  Siteman 

Mabel  Gillespie  Ernest  Peters 

Womens'  Trade  Union  Lea-  William  Sinclair 

gue,  Boston  Maynard  W.  Stevenson 

Respectfully  submitted, 

GEORGE  H.  WRENN, 

J.  WALTER  MULLEN, 

WM.  E.  WARD, 

THOMAS  H.  GERRAUGHTY, 

WM.  A.  NEALEY, 

FRANK  A.  WARNOCK, 

MARTIN  T.  JOYCE, 

Committee. 

On  rrotion,  report  of  Credential  Committee  was  accepted  as  pro- 
l^ressive  and  delegates  seated. 

Secretary  Joyce  read  the  Call  for  Special  Convention  as  follows: 

CONVENTION  CALL 

Boston,  December  21,  1916. 
To  All  Affiliated  Unions: — 
Greeting : — 

You  are  hereby  notified  that  a  Special  Convention  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts State  Branch,  A.  F.  of  L.,  will  be  held  in  A.  O.  H.  Hall,  26  Trum- 
bull St.,  Worcester,  Mass.,  beginning  at  10  o, clock  Monday  morning, 
January  22,  1917,  and  will  continue  in  session  from  day  to  day  until  the 
business  of  the  Special  Convention  has  been  completed. 

The  questions  for  your  consideration  will  be  the  Constitutional  Con  - 
vention  and  Open  Shop  methods  of  the  Employers'  Association. 

CONSTITUTIONAL  CONVENTION 

Organized  labor  of  Massachusetts  is  confronted  with  the  greatest 
danger  this  generation  has  seen.  If  the  Convention  to  amend  the  State 
Constitution,  just  approved  of  by  the  voters  is  controlled  by  those 
opposed  to  organized  labor,  it  will  hamper  and  defeat  both  labor  and 
liberal  legislation  for  years  to  come.  Foreseeing  both  the  danger  and 
appreciating  the  enormous  difficulty  of  the  task  to  be  considered,  the 

11 


organized  labor  movement  must  become  active  and  protect  its  future 
welfare,  and  it  is  necessary  that  all  Central  Labor  and  Local  Unions 
should  be  represented  at  this  Convention. 

OPEN  SHOP 

The  Employers'  Association  is  endeavoring  to  destroy  and  disrupt 
the  Building  Trades  and  all  miscellaneous  trade  unions.  The  Building 
Trades  are  striving  to  maintain  their  local  unions  despite  the  efforts 
of  the  Association,  who  are  giving  their  contracts  to  unfair  employers. 
This  Association  hag  become  very  active  in  Worcester  and  are  now  ex- 
tending their  fight  to  the  cities  of  Springfield,  Lowell,  Lawrence,  Haver- 
hill and  Providence,  R.  I. 

For  these  reasons  it  is  absolutely  imperative  that  the  Trade  Union 
Movement/of  the  State  should  perfect  some  plan  of  action  to  overcome 
these  difhciilfies.  . 

REPRESENTATION 

Each  Union  of  200  members  or  less  attached  to  a  National  or  Inter-* 
national  Union  when  one  is  in  existence  shall  be  entitled  to  one  delegate 
and  an  additional  delegate  for  each  200  or  a  majority  fraction  thereof 
and  each  Central  Labor  Union  composed  of  miscellaneous  bodies  shall 
be  entitled  to  two  delegates. 

Only  bona  fide  wage  workers  who  are  not  members  of  or  eligible 
to  membership  in  other  trade  unions  are  eligible  as  delegates  in  Federal 
Labor   Unions. 

Delegates  must  be  selected  at  least  one  week  previous  to  the  con- 
vention and  their  names  forwarded  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Massachusetts 
State  Branch,  A.  F.  of  L.  immediately  after  their  election. 

A  delegate  to  be  seated  in  the  convention  must  have  at  least  five 
Union  Labels  on  his  or  her  wearing  apparel. 

CREDENTIALS 

Credentials  in  duplicate  are  forwarded  to  all  affiliated  unions. 
The  original  credential  must  be  given  to  the  delegate  elect  and  the  dupli- 
cate forwarded  to  Martin  T.  Joyce,  Secretary,  427  Old  South  Building, 
Boston,    Mass. 

Thanking  you  in  advance  for  your  valued  co-operation,   we  are, 

Fraternally  yours, 

GEORGE  H.  WRENN,  President 
J.  WALTER  MULLEN 
WILLIAM  E.  WARD 
,  THOMAS  H.  GERRAUGHTY 

WILLIAM  E.  NEALEY 
FRANK  A.  WARNOCK, 

Vice-Presidents 
MARTIN  T.  JOYCE,: 

Secretary-Treasurer. 
12 


The  Secretary  called  the  roll,  and  badges  were  distributed  to  the 
delegates. 

President  Wrenn  introduced  Myles  H.  Dawson  of  the  American 
Association  of  Labor  Legislation  of  New  York  who  made  an  extended 
address  on  "Health  Insurance". 

On  motion  of  Delegate  Alden  a  rising  vote  of  thanks  was  given  to 
Mr.  Dawson. 

President  Wrenn  appointed  the  following  Committees; 

COMMITTEE  ON  RESOLUTIONS 

Frank  H,  McCarthy,  Boston 

Edward  F.  McGrady,  Boston 

James  T.  Moriarty,  Boston. 

John  D.  DuUea,  Lynn. 

Wm.  Thornton,  Worcester,. 

M.  F.  Garrett,  Worcester. 

Emmet  T.  Walls,  Brockton,  . 

Francis  F.  Morse,  Boston. 

Arthur  M.  Huddell,  Boston. 

John  Connelly,  Boston. 

Patrick  F.  Sheehan,  Brockton. 

COMMITTEE  ON  CONSTITUTION 

Thomas  Doyle,  Boston. 

Frank  Moriarty,  Brockton.  ' 

Philip  Mekelberg,  Chelsea.. 

M.  D.  Collins,  Cambridge.  ■ 

J.  H.  Roche,  Fitchburg. 

E.  S.  Alden,  Holyoke.  ■  . 

Wm.  H.  Thornton,  Worcester. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN :  I  have  been  requested  by  the  Local  Com- 
mittee to  announce  that  the  following  hotels  are  fair; 

Franklin  Hotel,  Main  St. 

Bay  State  House,  Main  St. 

Essex  Hotel,  Front  St. 

Hotel  Pleasant,  Pleasant  St. 

Bancroft  Hotel,  Franklin  St. 

Commercial  Hotel,  Front  St. 

Sherwood  House,  Front  St. 

New  Park  Hotel,  Franklin  St. 

Sterling  Hotel,  Front  St. 

Carlisle  Hotel,  Pleasant  St. 

City  Hotel,  Southbridge  St. 
and  that  the  Warren  Hotel  on  Front  St.  is  unfair  to  labor. 

13 


Delegate  Delia  A.  Hurley  of  the  Waitresses'  Union  was  given  the 
privilege  of  the  floor  and  made  a  statement  relative  to  the  conditions  in 
the  various  hotels  and  restaurants  of  Worcester  and  urged  the  delegates 
to  co-operate  with  her  organization  in  this  city  to  bring  about  a  strong 
local  of  their  craft.  The  remarks  of  Mrs.  Hurley  'were  well  received 
and  applauded. 

Convention  adjourned  at  12:05  P.  M.  to  reconvene  at  2  P.  M. 

AFTERNOON  SESSION 

Convention  called  to  order  at  2:15  P.  M.  by  President  Wrenn. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:  Fellow  Delegates,  concerning  the  rules 
under  which  this  convention  shall  operate.  Is  there  any  objection  to 
adopting  the  rules  of  the  last  convention,  or  do  you  want  them  read? 

Moved  by  Delegate  Alden  that  the  rules  governing  our  last  regular 
convention  as  contained  in  the  Constitution,  stand  as  the  rules  govern- 
ing this  Special  Convention.     Motion  seconded  and  carried. 

DELEGATE  BROWN  of  Brockton:  I  would  like  to  inquire  if 
by  adoption  of  that  motion  we  would  open  the  door  to  any  other  business  ? 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:  The  opinion  of  the  chair  at  the  present 
time,  is  the  only  business  that  can  come  before  this  convention  is  that 
stated  in  the  Call  on  propositions  of  taking  action  as  regards  constitu- 
tional convention  and  open  shop. 

DELEGATE  HASKINS  of  Worcester:  Do  I  understand  any 
other  business  that  this  convention  considers  important  is  barred 
from  this  convention? 

PRESIDENT  WRENN :    Your  understanding  is  correct. 

DELEGATE  HUDDELL:  May  I  ask  if  any  question  of  enforcing 
laws  of  previous  conventions  comes  on  the  floor  of  this  convention  can 
it  be  taken   care  of? 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:  It ^  can  be  referred  to  the  Executive 
Council  which  is  empowered  to  carry  out  the  rules  or  mandates  of  the 
last  regular  convention. 

DELEGATE  HUDDELL:  Or  previous  convention  to  that,  or 
any   convention  ? 

PRESIDENT   WRENN:      Or   previous   convention   to   that. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:  Fellow  Delegates,  on  account  of  this 
being  an  exceptional  case,  and  a  Special  Convention,  your  officers 
were  not  required  to  present  to  you  a  report  or  a  printed  address  as  is 
usually  done  by  the  President  and  other  officials.  To  give  you  all  the 
information  that  was  at  hand  at  the  time  that  the  Executive  Council 
felt  it  necessary  to  call  this  convention,  I  will  say  that  the  Boston  Central 
Labor  Union  requested  the  Executive  Council  of  the  State  Branch  to  call 
a  convention  early  in  January  for  the  purpose  of  taking  some  action  that 

14 


would  give  us  some  control  or  some  say  in  the  coming  Constitutional 
Convention. 

You  know  as  well  as  I  do  that  the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts 
toda}^  is  in  a  deplorable  condition  in  regard  to  the  matter  of  law  and 
judges'  decisions.  We  are  rapidly  losing  what  liberty  we  imiagined  we 
had  heretofore, — that  is  a  question  that  will  come  into  the  Constitutional 
Convention,  and  no  matter  what  the  action  is  there,  we  must  abide  by  it 
for  a  long  time  to  come.  That  alone  would  seem  of  sufficient  importance 
for  the  wage  workers  of  this  State  to  get  together  and  devise  some  ways 
and  means  of  giving  us  a  representative  in  that  convention.  That  is 
one  of  the  chief  matters  to  come  before  you. 

The  other  matter  was  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  Executive 
Council  by  the  labor  movement  of  Worcester  County  and  Springfield. 
A  condition  prevails  in  the  central  and  western  parts  of  the  State  that 
has  developed  within  the  last  two  years  of  a  thorough  organization  of 
employers  throughout  the  central  and  western  parts  of  the  State,  the 
details  of  which  you  will  hear  later.  Trade  unionism  is  threatened  not 
in  any  one  particular  branch  of  industry,  but  wherever  a  trade  union 
exists.  It  has  been  our  experience  that  no  matter  where  the  fight  started, 
if  the  employers  were  in  any  way  successful,  they  didn't  drop  their  fight 
until  they  were  successful  in  that,  and  they  went  out  and  organized 
employers  wherever  they  might  be  found.  They  are  drawing  no  lines 
as  to  industry  or  trade.  They  are  carrying  on  their  work  in  Worcester 
County,  Hampden  County,  and  starting  in  Pittsfield  at  the  present 
time  we  have  associations  of  employers  with  their  attorneys  and  corps 
•  of  spies  and  other  adjuncts.  In  the  machine  industry,  building  trades, 
clothing  departments  and  all  along  the  line,  they  have  drawn  no  line. 
Even  the  employers,  owners  and  operators  of  the  department  stores  in 
our  part  of  the  State  are  in  it,  and  are  members  of  those  associations 
at  the  present  time.  You  can  see  what  a  great  threat  it  is  to  the  trade 
union  movement  not  to  be  properly  equipped  to  meet  that  fight.  The 
State  Branch  of  the  American  Federation  of  Labor  at  the  present  time 
has  not  the  machinery  or  means  at  hand  to  meet  a  prosposition  such  as 
that,  and  for  that  reason  we  are  here  today  to  find  some  means  whereby 
we  may  cope  with  the  employers  and  reasonably  hope  to  win.  We  must 
do  it  as  one  united  force.  We  must  not  make  any  difference  whether 
the  fight  starts  in  the  Building  Trades,  Garment  Industry,  Cigar  Factory 
or  Shoe  Factory.  The  united  force  of  the  trade  union  movement  in 
Massachusetts  must  find  some  way  to  go  in  where  that  fight  starts  and 
put  it  out  the  same  as  a  fire,  and  not  let  it  spread. 

It  is  all  I  have  to  say  in  the  way  of  an  explanation  why  this  con- 
vention was  called  and  I  think  it  is  one  of  the  most  important  we  have 
ever  held,  because  at  this  time,  no  matter  how  successful  we  have  been 

15 


heretofore,  we  have  been  threatened  with  a  danger  we  have  never  met 
before.     The  Committee  on  Resolutions  has  been  appointed. 

I  would  state  that  the  closing  time  fpr  the  introduction  of  resolu- 
tions closes  at  noon  Tuesday,  and  delegates  should  govern  themselves 
accordingly. 

DELEGATE  BROWN:  Question  of  information:  You  ruled 
the  only  subjects  before  the  meeting  is  matter  of  Open  Shop  and  Con- 
stitutional Convention.  Dosen't  it  necessarily  follow  all  resolutions 
would  have  to  be  on  those  matters? 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:    Yes.' 

DELEGATE  RASKINS:  Do  I  understand  there  is  going  to  be  a 
literal  interpretation  of  that  ruling, — ^that  this  body  isn't  going  to 
determine  its  particular  breadth  but  is  to  be  held  to  an  arbitrary  ruling 
at  this  particular  time  ?  Isn't  this  convention  the  one  to  determine  what 
it  shall  consider  or  not  consider? 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:  Delegate  Haskins,  allow  me  to  say  in 
fairness  and  honesty  that  any  meeting  of  any  union  or  convention  out- 
side of  the  regular  one,  has  a  special  announcement  of  what  shall  be 
taken  up  at  that  particular  convention,  and  in  all  honesty  and  fairness 
those  are  the  only  things  should  be  so  considered. 

DELEGATE  FRANCKE:  Mr.  Chairman,  after  the  purpose 
of  that  convention  has  been  announced,  and  that  convention  is  in  order, 
isn't  that  convention  bigger  than  the  Constitution  at  the  time  it  is 
sitting? 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:    It  is  not. 

Moved  by  Delegate  Driscoll  of  Boston  that  the  delegates  attend- 
ing this  convention,  and  only  delegates,  go  into  a  committee  of  the  whole, 
discuss  the  question  of  Open  Shop  and  Constitutional  Convention, 
rise  as  a  Committee,  and  report  back  not  later  than  four  o'clock  its 
recommendations  and  actions  to  the  convention.  Motion  seconded 
by  delegate  Huddell. 

DELEGATE  ALDEN :  Do  I  understand  it  would  mean  those  not 
delegates  here  would  be  excluded  from  the  hall? 

PRESIDENT   WRENN:     Yes. 

Motion  was  discussed  by  Delegates  Alden,  Dullea,  Haskins,  O'Hare, 
Driscoll,   Scollard,   Brown,   Savage,   Geary,   Murphy,   and  Francke. 

On  motion  of  Delegate  Davison  of  Springfield,  previous  question 
called  for  and  carried. 

Motion  of  Delegate  Driscoll  was  put  and  lost. 

President  Wrenn  added  the  following  to  the  Committee  on  Resolu- 
tions: Delegates  Arthur  M.  Huddell,  Engineers  Local  4,  John  Connelly 
of  Machinists,  and  Patrick  F.   Sheehan,   Street  Carmen. 

16 


DELEGATE  ALDEN :  Has  the  Executive  Board  any  recommen- 
dation to  bring  before  the  convention? 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:  Call  was  made  on  Executive  Board  for 
Constitutional  Convention  and  we  are  expecting  that  the  people  who 
called  for  this  Special  Convention  will  have  necessary  resolutions  for  the 
committee. 

A  recess  was  declared  until  3 :20  P.  M.,  in  order  that  the  Committee 
on  Resolutions  might  meet  and  consider  resolutions  before  them. 

The  meeting  re-convened  at  3:50  P.  M. 

On  motion  of  Delegate  Sterling  that  the  Committee  on  Resolutions 
be  instructed  to  report  one  or  more  of  the  resolutions  before  it  to  this 
convention  forthwith,  either  with  or  without  recommendation  as  they 
see  fit  so  we  can  have  some  business  to  go  on  with.  vSeconded  and  carried 
unanimously. 

Delegate  Garrett  for  the  Committee  on  Resolutions  submitted 
the  following: 

RESOLUTION  NO.  1 

To  the  officers  and  delegates  to  Special  Convention  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts State  Branch,  American  Federation  of  Labor: 

WHEREAS :  The  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts  has  in  adoption 
of  legislation  approved  the  one  day  rest  in  seven  principle  for  its  workers, 
with  the  exception  of  certain  exemptions;  and 

WHEREAS:     Wherever  applied  the  weekly  day  of  rest  has  been 
found  to  be  successful  and  a  benefit  to  the  workers  and  to  the  Com- 
,  monwealth  in  the  conservation  of  health  of  its  workers ;  and 

WHEREAS:  Continuous  work  for  seven  consecutive  days  has 
proved  demoralizing  and  unhealthy  to  all  classes  of  workers  included  in 
the  exemptions  of  the  Acts  of  1913,  Ch,  619,  therefore  be  it 

RESOLVED:  That  this  convention  advocate  the  incorporation 
into  the  Constitution  of  the  commonwealth  of  Massachusetts  a  weekly 
day  of  rest  for  all  workers  in  the  Commonwealth.  And  that  the  Execu- 
tive Board  be  instructed  to  communicate  with  the  delegates  to  the 
convention .  urging  the  adoption  of  such  an  amendment  to  the  Con- 
stitution. 

JOHN  J.  KEARNEY, 

JOHN  E.  FINNEGAN, 

PATRICK  O'CONNELL, 

DAVID  ALPERIN, 

OTTO  EBELING, 

(Hotel  and  Restaurant  Employes, 

Local  34,  Boston). 


17 


Committee  approves  and  recomm.ends  reference  to  the  Executive 
Board  with  instructions  to  secure  legal  advice  on  this  matter,  and  further 
the  object  of  the  resolution  so  it  will  not  conflict  with  other  crafts. 

Resolution  was  discussed  by  Delegates  Driscoll,  Sullivan  of  Chelsea, 
and  McNulty  of  Boston. 

On  request  of  Delegate  Kearney  of  Boston,  Chairman  Garrett 
read  report  of  Committee  on  Resolution  1. 

Amendment  by  Delegate  Kearney  that  resolution  be  substituted 
for  the  report  of  the  Committee. 

Amicndment  discussed  by  Delegate  Nesdale. 

Amendment  to  the  amendment  by  Delegate  Thornton  that  Reso- 
lution 1  be  referred  back  to  Resolution  Committee  to  bring  in  recommen- 
dations'to  be  adopted  by  this  convention. 

Discussion  by  Delegate  Garrett  (for  the  Committee) ;  Comerford  of 
Boston;  Brown  of  Brockton;  Poitras  of  Brockton;  Alden  of  Holyoke; 
Huddell  for  the  Committee;  and  Kearney  of  Boston. 

On  motion  of  Delegate  Sharp  of  Boston,  previous  question  called 
for  and  ordered. 

Amendment  by  Delegate  Thornton  put  and  lost. 

Amendment  of  Delegate  Kearney  to  substitute  resolution  for  the 
Committees,  report  put  and  declared  carried  by  the  Chair. 

The  vote  being  doubted  a  rising  vote  was  taken  which  resulted  in 
89  in  favor  and  113  opposed. 

Delegate  Kearney  requested  a  roll  call;  there  being  the  necessary 
number,  roll  call  was  ordered. 

The  hour  of  adjournment  having  arrived.  President  Wrenn  declared 
roll  call  would  be  the  first  order  of  business  in  the  morning. 

Adjourned  at  5:02  P.  M.  until  Tuesday,  January  23rd  at  9  A.  M. 

SECOND  DAY— MORNING  SESSION 
January  23,  1917 

Convention  was  called  to  order  at  9:20  A.  M.  by  President  Wrenn. 

PRESIDENT   WRENN:     At   the    adjournment    of   the   meeting 
yesterday  we  had  before  us  the  roll  call  and  substitution  of  resolution 
by  Delegate  Kearney  for  the  report  of  the  Resolution  Committee. 
,       SECRETARY   JOYCE:      Mr.    Chairman,    I   received   this   letter 
last   night.      (Reading). 
"Martin  T.  Joyce,  Sec, 
State  Branch,  A.  F.  of  L. 
Dear  Sir  and  Brother: — 

Owing  to  my  being  in  attendance  at  a  convention  of  the  New 
England  Branch  of  the  Hotel  and  Restaurant  Employes'  International 
Alliance  and  Bartenders'  International  League  of  America  now  holding 

18 


in  Springfield  I  will  be  unable  to  be  present  at  this  session  of  the  con- 
vention. If  the  Committee  on  Resolutions  has  endorsed  and  approved 
the  resolution  affeeting  the  principle  of  the  One  Day  Off  in  Seven  amend- 
ment to  the  State  Constitution,  and  has  submitted  the  resolution  to  the 
Executive  Board  for  final  drafting,  I  am  desirous,  other  delegates  per- 
mitting, to  withdraw  my  motion  requesting  a  roll  call  of  delegates  upon 
this  question. 

Fraternally  yours, 

(Signed)  JOHN  J.  KEARNEY, 

Delegate  Local  34,  Boston." 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:     If  there  are  no  objections  motion  for— 

DELEGATE  GARRITY:  I  move  you  sir  that  that  be  laid  on  the 
table  until  such  time  as  the  gentleman  appears. 

I  object  on  those  grounds.  We  came  here  for  business  and  are 
not  going  to  have  any  play.  We  played  enough  yesterday  and  it  is 
unnecessary  to  consume  valuable  time  in  this  way.  It  is  pretty  near 
time  that  the  representatives  of  the  several  locals  throughout  this  Com- 
monwealth get  down  to  business  and  do  business  in  a  businesslike  way. 
Points  were  raised  yesterday  and  the  papers  this  morning  were  very 
generous  making  a  laughing  stock  of  the  representatives  of  this 
Commonwealth. 

I  believe  yesterday  that  the  party  who  is  not  present  made  the 
motion  in  good  faith  for  open  discussion.     I  want  the  roll  call. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:  Remember  on  the  roll  call  as  your  name 
is  called  if  you  desire  to  vote  to  substitute  Delegate  Kearney's  resolution 
for  the  report  of  the  Committee  you  vote  yes;  against  it  no. 

DELEGATE  STERLING:  Mr.  Chainnan,  for  information.  I 
understood  as  the  convention  adjourned  last  night  that  there  was  a 
misunderstanding  in  the  report  of  the  Committee  on  Resolutions 
and  if  the  report  had  been  made  in  accordance  with  the  desire  of  the 
Committee  on  Resolutions,  it  would  fully  have  met  Mr.  Kearne3'''s 
objections  and  would  be  entirely  satisfactory  to  him. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:  It  is  not  open  to  debate  at  the  present 
time. 

Secretary  Joyce  called  the  roll. 

Vice-President  Nealey  in  the  chair. 

On  motion  of  Delegate  Flynn,  Holyoke,  it  was  voted  to  start  to 
call  the  roll  again.  Secretary  Joyce  called  the  roll  with  the  following 
result:    75  in  affirmative;  108  opposed. 

President  Wrenn  in  chair. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:  Question  comes  on  the  recommendation 
of  Committee's  Report.     Report  of  Committee  adopted  unanimously. 

Delegate  Garrett  (continuing  for  the  Committee  on  Resolutions). 

19 


RESOLUTION  NO.  3 

WHEREAS:  A  determined  effort  is  being  made  by  Employers' 
Associations  in  the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts  to  combat  the  elevat- 
ing and  humanitarian  influences  of  the  trade  union  movement;  and 

WHEREAS :  This  campaign  to  exterminate  trade  unions  from  this 
Commonwealth  is  forcibly  brought  to  the  attention  of  trade  unionists 
by  the  pernicious  activity  of  the  combined  Employers'  Association  of 
Worcester,  and  Hampden  Counties,  representing  an  invested  capital  of 
$140,000,000  and  125,000  employes;  and 

WHEREAS:  Several  Central  Labor  Unions  in  our  jurisdiction 
have  during  the  past  year  resisted  the  efforts  of  this  gigantic  combination 
to  disrupt  the  ranks  of  organized  labor  and  have  given  liberally  of  their 
financial  resources  to  continue  and  make  more  stable  the  fundamental 
principles  of  organized  labor,  so  dearly  bought  and  so  valiantly  cham- 
pioned by  every  lover  of  industrial  freedom  and  particularly  by  this 
Massachusetts  State  Branch  of  the  American  Federation  of  Labor, 
therefore  be  it 

RESOLVED:  That  this  convention  empower  and  authorize 
the  Executive  Council  of  the  State  Branch  A.  F.  of  L.  to  devise  ways 
and  means  as  in  their  wisdom  may  be  necessary  to  protect  and  pro- 
mote the  welfare  of  organized  labor  in  this  cojitest  against  corporate 
attempt  to  destroy  industrial  and  individual  freedom. 

B.  F.  GORDON,  Carpenters. 

JAMES  H.  HEFFRON,  Worcester  C.  L.  U. 

A.  JAY  BROMLEY,  Local  177. 

PETER  J.  ROONEY,  Local  22. 

JOSEPH  P.  GLAVIN,  Local  537. 

WILLIAM  THORNTON,  Worcester  C.  L.  U. 

ED.  F.  McGRADY,  Boston  C.  L.  U. 

Your  Committee  approves  Resolution  No.  3  and  recommends 
the  following:  that  the  President  appoint  a  Committee  of  ten  delegates 
attending  the  convention  to  act  in  conjunction  with  the  Executive 
Council. 

DELEGATE  HUDDELL :  I  move  the  adoption  of  the  Committees' 
report. 

DELEGATE  McGRADY,  Boston  C.  L.  U.:  Mr.  Chairrnan  and 
delegates,  I  desire  to  state  that  the  Boston  Central  Labor  Union  has 
had  its  ear  close  to  the  ground  for  some  time  watching  this  totally  un- 
fair and  unAmerican  combination  of  employers  in  this  State  and 
we  have  been  enabled  to  get  much  useful  information  of  the  line  of  at- 
tack that  these  manufacturers  intend  to  carry  out.  I  was  instructed 
to  come  down  here  today  by  our  body  and  help  to  draft  or  outline  some 

20 


line  of  campaign  to  meet  this  dastardly  attack  of  the  manufacturers 
of  this  state.  I  want  to  say  that  we  have  in  our  possession  a  copy  of  the 
resolution  that  was  sent  out  to  all  the  manufacturers  and  large  employers 
of  labor  by  the  American  Employers'  Association  and  I  would  like  to  read 
the  communication  as  it  was  sent  out. 

ORGANIZATION  OF  AMERICAN  EMPLOYERS   ASSOCIATION 

Incorporated 

This  Association  is  now  being  organized  as  a  corporation. 

OFFICERS:  President,  Vice-President,  Secretary,  Treasurer, 
Board  of  Directors. 

^he  duties  of  this  association  will  be  to  represent  all  employers 
of  labor  with  representative  bodies  of  organized  and  unorganized  labor; 
to  confer  in  all  matters  of  industrial  dispute ;  to  appear  in  legislative  bodies 
and  to  interest  ourselves  in  all  matters  pertaining  to  labor  or  class 
legislation;  to  promote  the  advantages  of  the  open  shop,  and  to  strengthen 
the  position  of  all  employers  of  labor  by  a  strong,  united  organization, 
to  eliminate  the  dictation  of  organized  labor,  and  to  curb  the  abusive 
powers  and  authority  of  organized  labor,  America's  largest  trust^ 

Any  employer  approved  by  this  association  shall  be  eligible  to  be- 
come a  member.  Each  member  is  entitled  to  one  vote.  Local  committees 
will  be  elected  by  members  of  each  locality,  and  a  chairman  of  the  com- 
mittee will  be  the  executive  officer  of  that  body. 

There  shall  be  a  State  Organizer  in  each  State  and  sub-organizers, 
or  agents,  will  be  appointed  under  them  to  organize  and  represent  this 
corporation  in  small  localities.  Each  city  and  all  large  localities  will 
have  officer  for  the  transaction  of  business. 

Agents  employed  by  this  corporation  will  solicit  new  membership, 
will  investigate  conditions  of  the  employment  of  labor,  will  confer  w^ith 
representatives  of  organized  labor,  and  also  with  representatives  of  un- 
organized labor.  They  will  gather  statistics  and  register  all  employes 
in  their  respective  localities  and  assist  in  the  grading  of  labor. 

LEGAL  DEPARTMENT 

This  corporation  shall  have  a  legal  department  which  shall  render 
legal  services  to  its  members  in  industrial  disputes.  They  will  investi- 
gate all  matters  pertaining  to  strikes  and  conspiracy  and  boycotts,  or 
any  infractions  of  the  law  committed  by  officials  of  organized  labor. 

In  cases  where  the  employers  are  justified,  our  legal  department 
shall  apply  for  injunctions  to  restrain  the  labor  organization  from  illegal 
interferences. 

Organized  labor  has  steadfastly  refused  to  grade  skilled  and  un- 
skilled labor.  The  duty  of  this  corporation  will  be  to  inaugurate  the 
grading   system   of   skilled   and   iinskilled   labor. 

21 


Specifications  will  be  drawn  up,  by  which  all  employers  shall  deter- 
mine just  what  specifies  the  grade  of  each  individual. 

It  will  be  the  duty  of  each  employer- to  assist  in  grading  his  men 
according  to  the  specifications  furnished  by  this  corporation.  Each 
employe  will  also  be  registered  and  indexed  at  the  headquarters  of  each 
locality. 

REFERENCES 

Employers  shall  be  obliged  to  obtain  a  reference  from  each  man 
before  he  is  put  to  work.  If  this  man  is  indexed  at  headquarters,  we 
can  ascertain  his  grade  as  a  workman  and  pay  him  according  to  his 
qualifications.     This  reference  helps  to  establish  the  grading  system. 

OPEN  SHOP 

This  corporation  favors  the  open  shop.  It  denies  no  man  the  right 
to  work.  It  caters  to  no  privileged  class,  and  it  will  champion  the  rights 
of  unorganized  labor  to  maintain  itself  in  equality  with  organized  bodies 
of  labor  in  the  industrial  world. 

CONTRACT  SYSTEM 

» 

In  localities  where  organized  labor  has  been  unfair  and  has  saddled 
the  business  man  with  unsurmountable  burdens,  we  advocate  the  right 
of  the  employer  to  have  written  contracts  with  his  employes,  setting 
forth  agreements  to  the  mutual  welfare  of  both  parties,  and  holding 
the  employe  responsible  to  his  employer  with  a  monetary  loss  in  case  of 
breach  of  contract.  Discrimination  and  persecution  of  employes  by 
members  of  labor  organizations  are  frequent  cases  today  "in  the  labor 
unions.  Members  of  the  labor  organizations  have  been  persecuted  with- 
in their  own  unions  by  heavy  fines,  discriminations  and  other  unjust 
practices. 

It  will  be  the  duty  of  all  employers  to  report  to  the  nearest  head- 
quarters of  this  corporation  any  persecution  of  his  employes  by  their 
local  union.  Such  cases  will  be  turned  over  to, our  legal  department 
for   their   consideration. 

Our  aim  is  to  stop  the  abuse  of  power  within  the  union  as  well  as 
the  abuse  of  power  without. 

PUBLICITY  DEPARTMENT 

The  duties  of  the  Publicity  Department  will  be  to  educate  the  public 
through  literature  and  other  hieans  of  contact,  in  the  justice  of  the  stand 
we  are  taking  to  promote  the  welfare  of  business  in  general,  to  improve 
and  right  the  conditions  of  labor,  and  to  promote  mutual  understanding 
and  goodwill  and  fellowship  between  employer  and  employe. 

22 


CO-OPERATIVE  SUPPORT  IN  INDUSTRIAL  TROUBLES 

.  In  the  event  of  strike  or  similar  trouble,  financial  support  should 
be  given  to  the  one  afflicted,  and  also  moral  support.  This  is  an  important 
factor  in  the  hour  of  trouble. 

We  do  not  recommend  financial  or  moral  support  unless  the  case 
of  the  employers  is  founded  on  justice. 

DISCIPLINE 

Would  it  be  necessary  to  discipline  any  member  of  this  corporation, 
if  such  member  should  be  refractory  to  the  cause  of  such  corporation? 
Yes.  But  this  matter  could  be  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  local 
committees,  who  should  have  jurisdiction  in  such  matters. 

POWER 

The  power  of  this  organization  should  not  be  used  to  oppress  the 
weak,  but  should  make  for  a  better  influence  with  labor  and  a  more  com- 
manding respect  for  business  by  our  legislatures.  Business  is  founded  on 
honesty,  justice  and  principle,  and  business  demands  a  square  deal. 

CONVENTIONS 

State  and  National  Conventions  will  be  held  annually  by  this 
corporation.  The  members  of  the  local  committees  will  be  entitled  to 
a  seat  and  vote  in  the  convention. 

That  is  the  entire  foundation  and  structure  and  plan  of  the  cam- 
paign of  the  American  Employers'  Association,  incorporated.  They 
iiitend  to  organize,  just  as  we  have  organized  with  a  State  Branch, 
with  a  local  in  every  city  and  town  and  with  Business  Agents  if  you  please, 
appointed  to  carry  out  the  instructions  of  the  Central  State  Body. 
It  means  an  organization  of  unlimited  capital  and  the  only  thing  that  we 
can  do  is  to  organize  ourselves  better  than  we  are  today  and  what  we 
may  lack  in  cash  to  meet  the  assaults  of  the  Employers'  Association, 
we  must  make  up  in  determination  to  combat  the  unfair  and  un-Amer- 
ican proposition  that  this  organization  intends  to  carry  out. 

I  only  want  to  say  the  Boston  Central  Labor  Union  desires  to  as- 
sure the  State  Branch  assembled  we  will  do  all  in  our  power  morally  and 
financially  to  help  wage  the  campaign  to  defeat  the  aims  of  this  Ameri- 
can Employers'  Association,  incorporated. 

DELEGATE  McNULTY:  In  support  of  that  recommendation 
brought  in  by  the  delegate  of  the  Boston  Central  Labor  Union,  I  just 
want  to  draw  the  attention  of  the  delegates  to  the  convention  to  a  few 
of  the  gentlemen  interested  in  this  campaign  against  organized  labor  in 
Massachusetts  and  particularly  to  that  section  of  it  known  as  the  Building 
Trades  Industry.     That  the  Ipswich  Mills  Corporation  who  are  erecting 

23 


a  building  in  Gloucester,  Mass.  have  handed  over  the  engineering  and 
architectural  part  of  that  structure  to  Lockwood  Green,  a  firm  of 
Boston,  Mass.  The  Building  Trades  Council  of  Boston  were  anxious 
to  know  if  the  Ipswich  Corporation  would  build  it  under  fair  conditions 
and  I  was  sent  to  inquire  to  Lockwood  Green.  They  refused  to  consider 
any  proposition  coming  from  the  Boston  Building  Trades  Council  as  to- 
building  their  building  under  fair  conditions  and  were  deterriiined  tO' 
stand  by  the  firm  of  Fiske,  Carter  of  Worcester,  Mass.,  who  they  said 
represented  the  Open  Shop  and  would  stand  by  the  Open  Shop  policy.. 
I  was  then  instructed  to  find  out  who  were  the  directors  of  the  Ipswich 
Mills  people  so  I  could  find  out  from  them  if  they  were  conscious  of  their' 
offer  to  hand  over  this  job  to  an  Open  Shop  Firm.  I  called  on  Samuel 
B.  Parker,  Treasurer  of  the  Ipswich  Mills  Corporation,  and  this  gentle- 
man refused  to  interfere  with  the  work  of  their  Engineers  in  handing 
over  the  job  to  the  unfair  firm.  I  found  on  inquiry  that  this  gentleman, 
as  well  as  being  Treasurer  of  the  Ipswich  Mills^  was  a  Trustee  of  the 
Hom,e  for  Little  Wanderers  and  Trustee  for  the  Society  for  Prevention 
of  Cruelty  to  Animals  and  while  he  was  interested  in  Homes  of  Little 
Wanderers  and  homes  to  prevent  cruelty  to  animals,  was  not  interested 
in  the  American  worker's  efforts  to  preserve  his  home  under  conditions 
established    by    him. 

I  then  called  on  Mr.  John  Lawrence  who  is  a  director  of  the  Ipswich 
Mills.  I  called  on  him  and  after  two  interviews  he  decided  he  would 
not  take  any  action  on  the  question  of  interfering  with  the  contractor 
nor  the  engineers  in  putting  up  that  building.  The  President  of  the 
Ipswich  Mills  is  Mr.  Augustus  Hemenway  of  53  Devonshire  St.,  Boston. 
He  is  Trustee  of  the  Industrial  School  for  Crippled  Children,  Director 
of  the  Peter  Bent  Brigham  Hospital  and  Director  of  the  Museum  of 
Fine  Arts.  On  investigation,  we  found  Harold  Coolidge,  40  State  St., 
Boston,  was  a  Director  of  the  Ipswich  Mills  and  also  a  Director  of  the 
Channing  Home,  and  Director  of  the  Navy  Yard  Y.  M.  C.  A.  It  is  very 
evident  that  those  gentlemen  who  are  interested  in  all  phases  of  social 
work  and  uplift  work,  as  private  gentlemen  are  not  interested  in  helping 
to  keep  up  the  good  American  conditions  that  their  fellow  countrymen 
have  established  in  the  Building  industry. 

Then  I  called  on  the  firm  of  Lockwood-Green  again,  and  found 
out  that  Mr.  Lockwood  Green,  as  well  as  being  head  of  the  Engineering 
firm  was  a  Director  of  the  Newton  Theological  Institution,  Director  o£ 
the  Boston  Yarn  Company,  Dracut  Mills,  Touraine  Mills,  Imperial 
Cotton  Company  and  International  Cotton  Mills,  and  that  Harold 
Green  was  Treasurer  of  the  International  Cotton  Mills,  Director  of 
the  Lawton  Mills  Corporation  and  Director  of  the  Lancaster  Mills,  and 
that  Edward  Tinkham  Green  who  is  President  of  the  Lockwood-Green 

24 


Corporation  is  Director  in  the  Pacific  Mills,  is  Director  in  the  Boston 
Dispensary,  Continental  Mills,  Dwight  Mills,  Lawton  Mills  Corpora- 
tion, Ludlow  Mills  and  is  Director  in  the  National  Shawmut  Bank-  and 
the  Old  Colony  Trust  Company,  and  that  this  unholy  Trinity  of  Engineers 
"were  only  ostensibly  engineers  and  were  in  reality  members  of  the  great 
Textile  Corporations  and  controlling  powers  therein,  and  seemingly 
part  of  a  movement  which  is  interested  in  tearing  down  these  conditions 
in  Massachusetts  established  by  the  trade  union  movement,  and  that  almost 
all  those  gentlemen  are  engaged  in  religious  work,  and  under  that  cloak 
of  religion  throwing  dust  in  the  eyes  of  unsuspecting  people,  that  they  are 
actively  (like  the  anarchists  whom  we  know  are  actively  engaged)  in 
tearing  down  secretly  these  healthy  American  conditions,  and  therefore 
are  a  social  menace  and  danger  to  society  and  ought  to  be  brought  before 
the  pillory  of  public  opinion  and  exposed  in  their  true  guise,  so  that  the 
people  of  Massachusetts  may  knOw,  however  high  they  may  be  in  social 
and  religious  life,  that  the  labor  movement  will  draw  aside  that  curtain 
which  concealed  them  so  long  from  the  public  gaze,  and  show  the  public 
they  are  really  anti-social  in  their  tendencies  and  a  menace  to  healthy 
American  conditions. 

Subject  also  discussed  by  Delegate  Rourke,  589. 

Vice-President  Mullen  in  the  chair. 

Subject  further  discussed  by  Delegate  Greenan,  Springfield  C.  L.  U. 
•  DELEGATE  HUDDELL  for  the  Committee.:  We  have  before  us 
Mr.  President  and  Delegates  a  serious  proposition,  serious  enough  to 
liave  this  convention  called  in  Special  Session,  and  we  should  at  least 
impress  on  the  minds  of  the  delegates  today  the  importance  of  the 
specific  case  before  us.  Never  mind  generalities  and  things  of  the  past. 
The  question  before  us  now  js  adopting  this  resolution  and  appointing 
a  Committee  of  Ten  in  accordance  with  the  Resolution  to  devise  ways 
and  micans  in  conjunction  with  the  Executive  Board  to  fight  the 
fight  which  is  before  us.  We  want  to  pass  something  constructive  here 
to  give  them  the  fight  of  their  life. 

We  are  to  blame  for  the  Open  Shop  fight  getting  such  headway, 
as  all  of  us  have  looked  at  the  other  fellow  fighting  in  Worcester,  and 
thinking  that  we  were  exempt,  but  the  facts  that  this  organization  of 
employers  while  they  were  fighting  the  Machinists  in  Worcester,  we 
looked  upon  and  did  nothing  and  allowed  the  Machinists  to  be  beaten 
in  that  fight.  Because  of  the  activity  of  the  Building  Trades  organiza- 
tion in  Worcester  in  assessing  themselves  and  assisting  the  Machinists 
when  they  were  licked,  the  Building  Trades  organizations  were  turned 
upon  by  the  same  people,  the  Metal  Trades  Association,  and  punished 
for  assisting  the  Machinists  to  try  and  win  their  fight.  We  in  Boston, 
with  few  exceptions,  and  in  other    sections  of  the  State,   just   simph^ 

25 


looked  on  this  situation  and  rendered  no  assistance  and  paid  no  attention 
to  it.  Now,  the  question  comes-  that  it  is  everybody's  fight,  that  our 
organization  is  to  be  treated  the  same  as  those  in  Worcester  and  this 
Employers'  Association,  the  formation  of  which  you  have  heard  read 
here  by  the  delegate  from  the  Boston  Central  Labor  Union,  has  now 
started  to  form,  patterned  after  our  own  organization,  with  national, 
state  and  local  councils  and  with  a  business  agent,  that  they  have  cried 
so  much  about  is  to  be  a  part  of  their  organization,  and  in  addition  they 
are  to  have  a  legal  department.  That  is  the  only  difference  between 
that  organization  and  ours. 

(Reading):  "Legal  Department":  This  corporation  shall  have  a 
legal  department  which  shall  render  legal  services  to  its  members  in 
industrial  disputes.  They  will  investigate  all  matters  pertaining  to 
strikes  and  conspiracy  and  boycotts,  or  any  infractions  of  the  law  com- 
mitted by  officials  of  organized  labor. 

In  cases  where  the  employers  are  justified,  our  legal  department 
shall  apply  for  injunctions  to  restrain  the  labor  organization  from  illegal 
interferences. 

Organized  labor  has  steadfastly  refused'  to  grade  skilled  and  unskilled 
labor.  The  duty  of  this  corporation  will  be  to  inaugurate  the  grading 
system   of  skilled   and   unskilled  labor. 

Specifications  will  be  drawn  up,  by  which  all  employers  shall  deter- 
mine just  what  specifies  the  grade  of  each  individual. 

It  will  be  the  duty  of  each  employer  to  assist  in  grading  his  men 
according  to  the  specifications  furnished  by  this  corporation.  Each 
employe  will  also  be  registered  and  indexed  at  the  headquarters  of  each 
locality.  ' 

CONTRACT  SYSTEM:  In  localities  where  organized  labor  has 
been  unfair  and  has  saddled  the  business  man  with  unsurmountable 
burdens,  we  advocate  the  right  of  the  employer  to  have  written  con- 
tracts with  his  employes,  setting  forth  agreements  to  the  mutual  welfare 
of  both  parties,  and  holding  the  employe  responsible  to  his  employer 
with  a  monetary  loss  in  case  of  breach  of  contract.  Discrimination 
and  persecution  of  employes  by  members  of  labor  organizations  are  fre- 
quent cases  today  in  the  labor  unions.  Members  of  the  labor  organiza- 
tions have  been  persecuted  within  their  own  unions  by  heavy  fines, 
discriminations  and  other  unjust  practices. 

It  will  be  the  duty  of  all  employers  to  report  to  the  nearest  head- 
quarters of  this  corporation  any  persecution  of  his  employes  by  their 
local  union.  Such  cases  will  be  turned  over  to  our  legal  department  for 
their   consideration. 

Our  aim  is  to  stop  the  abuse  of  power  within  the  union  as  well 
as  the  abuse  of  power  without." 

26 


Let  me  call  to  your  attention  the  fact  that  the  legal  Department  is 
to  grade  the  skilled  and  unskilled  workers,  or  in  other  words  the  em- 
ployer is  not  to  do  the  grading,  the  Legal  Department  has  that  matter 
turned  over  to  them,  a  system  of  registration  which  is  a  system  of  black- 
listing, and  nothing  else,  in  other  words  the  black-list  is  to  be  used  in  the 
future.  Each  man  registers  in  accordance  with  an  attorney's  opinion 
of  what  he  should  receive,  and  what  grade  he  belongs  in. 

We  have  the  brains  in  this  convention  and  we  have  the  organiza- 
tions, the  only  thing  we  have  lacked  is  the  push  to  start  in  this  fight 
and  combat  this  organization.  It  is  said  that  there  is  $8,000,000  behind 
this  Employers'  Association.  We  don't  need  $8,000,000,  we  do  need 
some  money,  but  we  can  combat  the  $8,000,000  with  our  organizations 
and  protect  them  from  having  their  hours  lengthened  and  their  pay  re- 
duced. We  stand  for  long  pay  and  short  hours,  they  stand  for  long  hours 
and  short  pay. 

I  have  served  on  many  committees  with  other  members  of  organized 
labor,  and  to  show  that  we  have  the  brains  we  don't  fear  when  we  are  in 
conference  their  attorney  or  any  other  of  their  employes  that  they 
are  now  training  to  meet  organized  labor  in  committee  conferences, 
there  never  has  been  a  time  that  such  committees  have  met  employers 
but  what  we  have  been  able  to  maintain  our  position  and  meet  their 
arguments  and  present  our  side  of  the  case  in  a  manner  that  has  shown 
the  position  of  the  working  men.  All  we  are  seeking  is  justice  and  money 
enough  to  raise  our  families,  educate  our  children  and  obtain  short 
hours  so  that  we  can  enjoy  rest  and  recreation.  That  is  what  we  stand 
for  and  those  are  conditions  that  we  are  not  going  to  have  torn  down 
by  this  Employers'  Associa,tion. 

We  don't  fear  an  organization  of  employers;  we  welcome  them  if 
their  object  is  to  meet  and  try  and  adjust  differences  existing  between  us 
and  give  us  what  we  are  rightfully  entitled  to, — an  opportunity  to  work 
and  live  in  a  decent  manner. 

This  committee  can  devise  ways  and  means  after  being  appointed 
by  the  President  of  this  organization  to  raise  funds  enough  for  us  to  start 
in  Massachusetts  where  the  history  of  this  country  was  started,  where 
the  labor  movement  now  has  an  opportunity  to  start  history  in  Massa- 
chusetts of  the  breaking  up  of  this  situation  by  coinbating  the  Employers' 
Association,  and  making  history  that  will  be  known  not  only  all  over 
this  Continent  but  over  the  entire  world  and  show  to  the  people  all  we 
ask  for  is  justice. 

Regarding  these  families  of  prominence  who  have  been  mentioned 
to  you  by  a  previous  speaker  (and  they  exist  in  every  community  in  the 
Com.monwealth) ,  when  the  delegates  return  to  their  homes  and  seek 
information  of  such  families  that  are  interested  in  charitable  institu- 


tions  for  the  benefit  of  the  poor  and  the  crippled  and  on  the  other  hand 
are  interested  in  corporations  that  are  taking  the  Hfe  blood  out  of  the  work- 
ing men,  women,  and  children  of  this  Commonwealth,  make  it  plain  to 
them  all  we  ask  for  is  to  be  given  the  opportunity  to  make  money  enough 
to  support  our  families,  and  then  we  don't  neeed  charity;  a  little  less 
activity  by  these  families  in  promoting  Y.  M.  C.  A.'s  and  other  institu- 
tions and  a  little  more  wages  and  shorter  hours  to  the  working  men  and 
women  of  this  Commonwealth  will  bring  happiness  to  their  homes. 

DELEGATE  GREENAN :  Point  of  order.  I  shall  insist  on  the 
previous  question  being  put  unless  somebody  desires  to  talk  against  the 
resolution. 

President  Wrenn  in  the  chair. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:  As  this  is  the  big  question  of  the  con- 
vention and  there  are  here  present  representatives  of  the  International 
Unions,  I  hope  the  request  for  previous  question  will  be  withdrawn. 

DELEGATE  GARRETT:  (For  the  Committee):  I  am  going  to 
ask  the  delegates  to  this  convention  not  to  be  impatient.  This  is  a 
most  worthy  question  that  is  being  discussed  this  morning  and  my  reason 
for  asking  you  not  to  be  impatient  is  because  I  belong  in  Worcester 
and  have  taken  part  in  the  great  conflict  which  has  been  in  existence 
since  April  1st,  1916.  We  have  here  international  officers  who  are  thoro- 
ughly acquainted  with  the  conditions  in  Worcester  that  must  be  heard, 
and  Vx^ant  the  privilege  of  the  floor  to  express  their  views.  We  have 
also  one  Worcester  man  who  will  go  into  all  details  in  reference  to  the 
conditions  existing  in  Worcester,  Brother  Haskins  of  the  Central  Labor 
Union,  and  I  want  to  say  some  ways  and  means  must  be  devised  and  the 
question  must  be  discussed  intelligently  from  all  angles  in  order  to  get 
the  best  possible  results  in  driving  out  of  existence  this  Employers' 
Association  which  has  decided  to  put  the  labor  movement  out  of  existence. 

Vipe-President  Mullen  in  the  chair. 

DELEGATE  GARRETT  (Reading  from  clipping) :  In  the  Worces- 
ter Evening  Post,  we  find  the  following  extracts  from  the  proceedings 
of  the  meetings  held  by  the  Employers'  Association : 

"Thomas  Jefferson  Kelley,  secretary  of  the  Hartford  County  Em- 
ployers' Association,  said:  'The  American  Federation  of  Labor  places 
a  boycott  on  the  man  who  won't  be  coerced.  You've  got  to  stand  by 
the  man  who  won't  be  coerced.' " 

He  referred  to  business  agents  and  walking  delegates  as  '  'dema- 
gogues." He  urged  the  elimination  of  labor  and  political  agitators 
''neither  of  whom  knows,"  he  said,  "what  progressive  industry  is." 

Gompers  stands  by  stupidity,  dishonest  action  and  disreputable 
tactics.  And  he  can  only  make  headway  so  long  as  you  men  remain 
apathetic,   allowing   him  to  go  on. 

28 


In  closing  Ms  argument,  Mr.  Kellcy  said  the  open  shop  town  was 
more  progressive  than  the  closed  shops  or  "decadent  town"  as  he  termed 
it. 

Stephen  E.  French  of  the  Athol  Machine  Company,  sent  a  letter, 
stating  his  position  in  favor  of  the  "open  shop"  which  was  read  by  Mr. 
Dennison. 

Edward  J.  Crcfss  was  introduced  as  a  man  "who  has  had  experience 
with  organized  labor  and  being  opposed  to  it." 

He  said:  "I  began  in  a  small  way  in  Worcester  20  years  ago  and 
always  had  an  open  shop  until  about  one  and  one-half  years  ago,  when 
labor  said:  'You  shall  not  employ  union  and  non-union  labor.'  That 
brought  to  my  mijid  the  necessity  of  my  not  doing  business  if  I  had  to 
conduct  a  closed  shop.    That  is  why  I  have  an  open  shop. 

I  believe  the  best  condition  in  the  shop  is  when  we  employ  the  best 
possible  workmen  regardless  of  their  being  union  or  non-union  men. 

If  you  gentlemen  want  the  open  shop  youv'e  got  to  see  to  it  that 
the  building  trades  has  the  open  -shop.  We  believe  in  that,  but  we  are 
forced  to  be  in  the  closed  non-union  shop  class." 

Robert  Porteous  of  Hartford  said:  T  decided  on  the  open  shop 
against  the  advice  and  judgment  of  my  employes.  Manufacturers 
got  together  and  supported  me.  On  the  night  I  decided  on  the  open 
shop  was  formed  the  Employers'  Association  of  Hartford. 

I  have  often  thought  that  we  ought  to  get  out  and  organize  in  this 
way  in  the  building  trades,  as  there  is  likely  to  be  the  wrong  impression 
go  forth  from  the  ever  presence  of  the  walking  delegate." 

DELEGATE  GLAVIN:  Question  of  personal  privilege.  Point 
of  information.  I  would  like  to  know  if  these  remarks  are  being  taken 
verbatim. 

Secretary  Joyce  replied  only  such  speeches  were  taken  verbatim  as 
were  requested  by  delegates,  and  that  it  was  not  customary  to  report 
the  speeches  unless  by  vote  of  the  convention. 

DELEGATE  GLAVIN :    I  think  it  should  be  done  as  far  as  possible. 

DELEGATE  GARRETT:  All  friends  of  the  organized  wage 
earners  of  Massachusetts  do  not  know  what  is  going  on  because  in  their 
regular  meetings  they  do  not  have  time  to  take  up  this  discussion. 

DELEGATE  HASKINS,  Worcester:  I  am  not  going  to  inflict 
a  lengthy  speech  upon  the  delegates,  I  am  going  to  confine  myself  to  a 
five  minute  discussion  of  the  Worcester  situation,  so-called.  One  thing 
I  want  to  bring  closely  to  the  attention  of  the  delegates  toda\"  and  that 
is  the  connection  of  the  big  banking  institutions  of  this  city  in  this 
light.  In  Worcester  (in  common  with  most  industrial  centers)  banking 
institutions  are  dominated  and  controlled  by  an  interlocking  directorate 
of  employers  that  constitute  the  Emplo^^ers'  Association  of  the  State. 

29 


The  banks  of  Worcester  have  always  been,  more  or  less  dominated  by 
these  directors,  but  during  the  past  year  there  has  been  an  organization 
set  on  foot  in  this  city,  and  without  exception  every  banking  institution 
in  the  city  today  is  absolutely  controlled  by  a  Board  of  Directors  that  are 
members  in  good  standing  of  the  Manufacturers'  Association  of  this, 
state  and  city.  That  is  one  thing  the  delegates  to  this  convention  and 
this  com^mittee  should  take  into  serious  consideration,  because  you  can 
readily  see  the  benefits  that  would  accrue  to  the  Employers'  Association 
through  these  same  banking  institutions.  The  Boston  store  is  a  glaring 
example  of  this  fact,  and  I  dare  now  the  public  press  of  this  city  to  even 
mention  that  the  Boston  store  has  been  mentioned  on  the  floor  of  this 
convention  today.  This  Boston  store  fight  has  been  waged  twelve 
months  in  this  city.  Two  of  the  largest  public  meetings  were  held  to 
take  this  matter  under  consideration,  and  not  one  single  line  did  the 
prostitute  press  produce  of  the  Boston  store  proposition,  and  I  dare 
them  now  for  once  to  print  it.  I  will  get  the  paper  tomorrow  and  see 
if  they  do  print  it.      (Applause). 

These  banking  institutions  make  it  imperative  on  merchants  who 
have  to  come  and  get  credit  to  have  building  done,  they  make  it  im- 
possible for  that  merchant  to  get  the  desired  credit  and  do  you  think 
for  one  moment  the  Boston  store,  if  it  did  as  they  wished,  would  have 
erected  a  $250,000  monument  if  they  could  have  gotten  credit  anywhere. 
They  were  forced  by  the  money  trust  to  erect  the  monument  against 
their   wishes   and   desires. 

Why  do  the  trade  unionists  of  this  State  deposit  thousands  of  dollars 
in  these  banks  to  throttle  and  fight  themselves? 

This  committee  should  take  under  consideration  some  system  or 
method  where  they  can  use  their  own  funds  to  fight  their  own  fight 
and  not  place  it  at  the  disposal  of  the  Employers'  Association. 

Now,  Worcester  has  waged  a  good,  honest,  clean  fight  and  whatever 
action  this  convention  takes,  Worcester  will  still  take  the  fight  and 
Worcester  will  still  win,  if  it  has  to  fight  alone.  But  it  wants  the  advice 
and  moral  encouragement  and  financial  assistance,  if  it  can  be  given, 
of  the  whole  state,  and  in  return  it  will  give  unstintingly  of  every  re- 
source. The  thing  is  a  big  proposition;  it  is  gigantic  when  you  consider 
it  in  its  full  light.  I  think  history  has  been  written  of  it  not  only  in 
Massachusetts,  but  through  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  land.  It 
seems  we  have  reached  the  parting  of  the  ways  and  have  crossed  the 
Rubicon  and  we  are  at  last  going  to  accept  the  gauntlet  that  has  been 
thrown  down.  For  years  we  have  tried  to  meet  the  employer  by  fair 
methods,  by  intercession  and  honest  desire  to  go  half  way,  and  recently 
too,  but  it  seems  it  has  been  in  vain,  and  we  can't  accomplish  our  re- 
sults that  way  and  we  have  to  fight  and  put  our  hands  to  the  sword, 

30 


and  we  have  to  do  it,  and  I  hope  the  delegates  here  assembled  today- 
will  take  this  inspiration  home  to  their  respeetivc  eities  and  when  the 
recommendation  is  sent  out  they  will  retain  the  insjjiration  and  infor- 
mation given  them  and  will  rally  around  the  old  white  flag  of  Massa- 
chusetts and  plant  it  firmly  forever. 

DELEGATE  NESDALE,  Local  589,  Boston:  As  a  representative 
of  one  of  the  largest  locals  in  Massachusetts,  the  second  largest  in  the 
state,  I  am  glad  the  street  carmen  are  here  today.  It  appears  to  me  and 
it  appears  to  my  colleagues  today,  that  not  only  is  a  campaign  being 
made  against  the  trade  unions  in  Worcester,  but  against  trade  unionism 
in  Massachtisetts.  I  don't  think  the  rank  and  file  of  organized  labor  in 
Massachusetts  are  fully  informed  upon  the  fight  being  made  upon  the 
Manufacturers'  Association,  and  I  believe  that  one  of  the  best  things 
this  convention  could  do  is  print  a  copy  of  that  letter  read  here  by  the 
brothers  from  Boston,  and  see  it  is  placed  in  the  hands  of  every  member 
of  organized  labor. 

DELEGATE  GLAVIN:  I  m.ove  you  at  this  tim.e  that  the  pro- 
ceedings of  this  special  convention  be  taken  verbatim  so  far  as  possible, 
including  details  and  documients  of  Manufacturers'  Open  Shop  Campaign 
and  copy  furnished  to  the  labor  papers  and  all  other  papers  that  will 
print  the  same 

Now,  in  reference  to  this,  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  labor  papers 
in  this  state  has  told  m^e  that  he  would  be  very  glad  to  print  this  in  full 
and  supply  a  copy  to  every  delegate  present,  and  furthermore  that  he  will 
be  able  to  furnish  10,000  or  15,000  copies  im.miediately  after  it  has  been 
set  up  and  at  a  much  lower  rate  than  he  would  if  you  ordered  it  later  on. 
I  think  the  convention  would  do  very  well  to  consider  this  matter  at 
this  time. 

Motion  seconded  by  Delegate  Francke. 

DELEGATE  DRISCOLL:  I  am  opposed  to  making  any  contract 
of  this  kind  with  any  papers;  I  believe  the  speeches,  more  especially 
with  reference  to  the  building  trades,  should  be  printed  by  the  State 
Branch  itself.  The  newspapers  started  on  me  this  morning,  and  before 
anything  is  contracted  for  we  should  go  over  the  clippings  and  if  the 
newspaper  reporters  won't  make  good,  go  to  the  proprietors  and  ask 
why  they  don't  print  the  actions  of  this  convention,  and  if  they  don't 
do  it,  stop  buying  papers. 

DELEGATE  BARRY,  Boston:  I  have  heard  numerous  requests 
made  by  the  delegates  for  a  copy  of  the  Manufacturers'  manifesto  to 
have  printed;  I  was  in  hopes  there  would  be  sufficient  number  printed 
and  distributed  to  the  delegates.  When  they  went  back  to  their  respec- 
tive localities  they  could  show  it  instead  of  explaining  it  through  hearsay. 
My  intention  was  to  have  a  sufficient  number  of  these  copies  printed 

31 


and  distributed  to  the  delegates  so  that  they  could  take  them  back  to 
their  respective  localities. 

DELEGATE  DULLEA:  I  am  opposed  to  the  motion  as  presented 
here  directing  the  convention  to  contract  with  any  newspaper  to  deliver 
anything.  I  believe  that  a  committee  of  ten  to  be  appointed  to  act 
in  conjunction  with  the  Executive  Council,  to  have  full  power  to  provide 
ways  and  means  in  carrying  on  this  fight,  are  the  proper  ones  to  decide 
how,  when  and  where  the  publicity  part  of  this  m.atter  should  be  taken 
up.  I  think  also  that  if  we  hope  to  get  the  contributions  from  our  local 
unions  that  we  expect  to,  we  must  send  out  our  matter  as  official  from 
the  headquarters  of  the  State  Branch  of  the  American  Federation  of 
Labor,  and  not  through  any  so-called  labor  paper,  or  any  other  paper. 
The  State  Branch  is  the  official  head  of  the  labor  organization  in  Mass- 
achusetts, and  all  communications  in  regard  to  this  matter  should 
emanate  direct  from  them,  and  they  shouldn't  be  compelled  to  contract 
with  any  person  or  persons  with  regard  to  putting  out  this  matter  only 
insofar  as  this  committee  make  up  their  minds  to  do.  I  doubt  very 
much  the  wisdom  of  injecting  this  motion  at  this  time.  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  I  was  about  to  rise  to  a  point  of  order;  this  could  not  be  accepted 
in  the  form  of  an  amendment.  Question  before  the  house  is  acceptance 
or  rejection  of  report  of  committee  and  it  seems  to  me  it  would  be  bad 
policy  to  try  and  inject  here  on  behalf  of  a  so-called  labor  paper  a  con- 
tract from  the  State  Branch  in  this  matter.  I  am  decidedly  opposed 
to  it,  and  I  hope  the  convention  will  look  at  it  the  same  way. 

DELEGATE  FRANCKE:  I  am  frankly,  Mr.  chairman,  in  favor 
of  the  motion  to  give  it  to  the  labor  paper  for  this  reason:  When  Dele- 
gate McNulty  got  up  and  told  the  delegates  assembled  of  certain  men 
in  Boston,  supposed  to  be  connected  with  some  charitable,  religious 
institutions,  who  on  the  other  hand  are  trying  to  wreck  the  labor  movement, 
I  will  say,  even  I,  Mr.  President  was  astonished  such  a  thing  was  possible. 
There  is  no  doubt  in  my  opinion  this  committee  of  ten  can  get  similar 
information  from  other  cities,  and  if  we  confine  it  expressly  to  communica- 
tion sent  from  the  State  Branch,  the  only  people  who  will  get  the  infor- 
mation will  be  people  in  the  labor  movement,  and  I  believe  the  infor- 
mation that  Brother  McNulty  gave  the  delegates  today  is  information 
that  the  public  of  Massachusetts  should  know.  The  public  of  Massa- 
chusetts is  entitled  to  know  of  such  men  living  in  their  communities, 
and  I  believe,  Mr.  Chairman,  by  giving  it  to  the  press  and  newspapers, 
and  at  the  same  time  have  the  State  Branch  take  care  of  their  own  printed 
matter,  we  are  taking  care  of  the  proposition  we  are  here  to  discuss  today. 

DELEGATE  O'CONNELL,  Salem  C.  L.  U.:  Mr.  Chairman,  it 
seems  foolish  to  me  on  the  part  of  the  members  to  inject  opposition 
to  this  motion.        The  plea  has  been  made  from  the  men  concerned 

32 


in  this  p>roposition,  as  submitted  by  the  Resolution  Committee,  that 
they  ask  for  pubHcity.  If  we  are  concerned  with  the  report  of  the  Reso- 
lution Committee  and  are  concerned  with  the  publicity  necessary  for 
our  welfare,  then  why  isn't  this  motion  in  order,  immaterial  to  whom  the 
contract  is  given?     I  believe  it  should  be  allowed. 

DELEGATE  GLAVIN:  I  rise  to  a  point  of  correction;  there  is 
no  such  thing  as  contract  implied  in  this  in  any  way.  It  is  merely  fur- 
nishing other  papers  a  copy  of  these  proceedings. 

DELEGATE  O'CONNELL:  I  mentioned  it  because  previous 
speakers  spoke  of  it. 

DELEGATE  NESDALE:  I  yielded  the  floor  because.  I  didn't 
think  discussion  was  necessary,  it  wasn't  an  opportune  time.  I  believe 
the  motion  is  whether  we  will  accept  the  committe's  report,  and  any  ques- 
tion of  publicity  should  be  adopted  afterwards. 

VICE-PRESIDENT   MULLEN     Want  a  ruling? 

DELEGATE  NESDALE:     Yes. 

VICE-PRESIDENT  MULLEN:  The  chair  rules  point  is  well 
taken,  and  question  is  on  acceptance  of  committee's  report. 

DELEGATE  GARRETT:  I  believe  the  point  might  be  well  taken 
in  reference  to  the  motion  put  by  the  brother;  we  must  insist  on  the 
rest  of  the  talk  be  taken  verbatim  so  that  later  on  if  we  desire  to  make 
a  motion  to  have  the  matter  printed,  and  given  in  detail  to  the  mem- 
bers, we  will  have  the  matter  taken  and  the  rest  of  the  speakers'  state- 
ments be,  taken  verbatim.  I  think  it  should  be  incorporated  in  the  pre- 
sent discussion. 

VICE-PRESIDENT  MULLEN:  The  chairman  would  say  all 
that  is  needed  is  a  request  to  have  it  taken  down;  I  don't  think  it  needs 
a   motion. 

DELEGATE  NALLY :  While  I  am  going  to  ask  the  privilege  for 
a  moment,  I  will  try  not  to  digress  any  more  than  two  moments  but 
this  matter  of   bringing  before  you  this  printed  form  has  been  brought 

It 

about  by  an  editor  of  the  labor  papers,  was  instructed  to  bring  the  matter 
before  you  in  its  entirety.  Don't  forget  it  is  brought  to  you  by  an  editor 
of  a  labor  papei*  who  was  interested  to  such  an  extent  he  went  to  the 
extreme  case  of  showing  you  what  that  circular  means.  It  is  the  re- 
sult of  his  activity,  his  ingenuity,  and  foresight  to  bring  it  before  you. 
Your  daily  papers  will  possibly  print  parts  of  it.  You  have  to  con- 
sider your  subsidized  press.  Endorse  the  resolution  and  give  it  to  the 
labor    papers. 

VICE-PRESIDENT  MULLEN:  I  will  say  for  the  benefit  of 
the  convention  the  printing  of  the  circular  has  been  taken  care  of,  is 
in  the  hands  of  the  printer  and  will  be  distributed  this  afternoon  to  the 
delegates. 

33 


PRESIDENT  WRENN:  Just  for  a  moment,  we  want  your  unani- 
mous consent  for  the  rest  of  this  convention  to  take  verbatim  the  re- 
marks that  are  made  on  this  proposition.  We  have  already  omitted 
very  valuable  remarks  because  we  were  not  authorized  to  have  the 
stenographer  take  them  verbatim.  Is  there  anybody  objects?  (No 
objection) , 

VICE-PRESIDENT  MULLEN:  The  stenographer  will  take 
the   remarks   verbatim. 

DELEGATE  NESDALE:  I  don't  want  to  take  time  but  I  want 
the  greatest  pubhcity  given  to  the  circular  and  I  see  that  the  officers; 
have  taken  care  of  that.  I  will  sit  down  after  I  make  this  remark, — 
that  as  far  as  finances  go,  you  can  bank  on  the  Boston  Carmen''s  Union 
as  going  the  limit  in  this  State  to  help  you  in  this  campagin,  and  now  go 
to  it. 

DELEGATE  BROWN:  Brother  President:  I  have  asked  you  to 
recognize  me  at  this  time  because  I  am  sure  I  will  only  take  ten  minutes ; 
then  we  will  adjourn. 

Mr.  Chairman,  Brothers  and  Sisters,  will  you  realizp  that  this  is 
the  other  end  of  the  irrepressible  conflict?  Will  you  realize  you  are  ap- 
proaching the  era  Wendell  Phillips  talked  about  thirty  years  ago.  If 
I  had  time  to  bring  a  message  to  this  convention  it  wotdd  be  that  that 
would  be  the  keynote  of  many  whiteheads  that  have  gone.  It  is  only 
in  the  hope  I  could  get  it  into  the  heads  of  the  younger  ones  that  the 
light  may  be  preserved,  the  light  that  was  the  foundation  of  the  early- 
organization  of  the  Knights  of  Labor,  of  the  Farmers'  organization, 
really  the  foundation  of  this  progressive  movement,  and  let  me  say  that 
it  might  interest  you,  and  perhaps  it  may,  that  when  I  was  a  great 
many  years  younger,  say  about  thirty,  I  was  in  the  ranks  of  the  dominant 
party,  the  Republican  Party.  I  had  nothing  to  quarrel  about,  I  was  in 
the  line  of  progression,  I  had  been  elected  to  office,  and  I  became  con- 
verted through  the  talk  of  you  labor  men  and  through  the  discussion 
then  going  on,  and  I  stepped  into  a  minority  of  one,  and  I  have  con- 
sistently waged  the  fight  during  all  these  years  for  what  I  think  is  the 
grand  way  in  which  you  are  shackled  at  the  present  time.  Brother 
Haskins  touched  upon  it;  several  brothers  touched  upon  it;  Brother 
Huddell  says  we  haven't  got  the  millions.  Can't  you  understand  that 
you  are  to  blame  for  these  millions  being  arrayed  against  you? 
We  had  this  question  down  to  Baltimore.  I  think  myself  the 
issue  you  have  here  is  another  detail  and  it  will  be  along  the 
line  of  compulsory  arbitration,  as  to  whether  the  law  can  compel  you 
to  work.  Brother  Gompers  says  we  will  fold  our  arms  and  say  whether 
we  will  work  or  not,  and  because  he  said  that,  the  press  of  the  country 
says  he  became  a  Socialist  and  is  defying  the  law. 

34    . 


Where  comes  all  these  combines?  How  is  it  all  the  industries  of 
the  Country  have  been  conglomerated  into  each  other?  Why,  the  easiest 
thing  in  the  world.  After  the  great  war,  at  which  time  there  were  few 
millionaires  and  no  paupers,  as  Charles  Dickens  wrote  about,  but  while 
"we  were  emerging  from  one  form  of  slavery  and  set  the  black  man  free, 
there  came  forward  this  money  trust.  And  what  did  they  do?  What  is 
the  condition  today?  The  people  delegated  the  function  of  giving  the 
mioney  to  them  by  which  you  exchange  all  products  of  industry.  The 
banks  could  issue  their  credit,  based  upon  actual  reserve.  What  follows? 
Your  actual  money  goes  into  banks  as  reserve  and  for  every  dollar  you 
-deposit  they  can  enlarge  and  issue  their  promise  to  pay  to  the  extent  of 
five,  for  reserve  banks  twelve,  for  every  one  put  in.  It  is  carried  on  by 
means  of  check.  Think  of  it!  The  last  year  six  hundred  forty-eight 
thousands  of  millions  of  dollars  of  clearings  in  the  United  States!  The 
Post  said  last  Sunday  the  profits  of  Morgan's  banks  was  85  per  cent. 

I  want  you  young  people  to  study  the  finance  system.  You  had 
delegated  to  certain  private  parties  the  right  to  live  on  the  interest 
of  what  they  owe.  Take  that  one  idea,  they  are  living  on  the  interest 
of  what  they  owe.  Do  you  know  how  to  get  rich  quicker  than  that? 
If  you  could  live  on  the  interest  of  what  you  owe,  couldn't  you  get  rich 
quick. 

The  next  valuable  asset  they  employ  is  a  Closed  Shop  of  lawyers. 
This  Manufacturers'  Association  is  going  to  hire  men  who  have  the  worst 
closed  shop  in  the  country.  You  can't  practice  law  unless  you  have  a 
card.  The  physicians  have  a  closed  shop ;  those  are  the  people  who  come 
forward  and  say  you  mustn't  go  forward  with  the  closed  shop.  What  is 
the  point  I  am  trying  to  make?  We  must  fight  them  in  the  details  on 
these  small  matters,  you  must  combine  once  again  throughout  the  length 
and  breadth  of  this  country  to  assail  privilege.  The  war  isn't  between 
capital  and  labor.  The  nigger  in  the  woodpile  is  privilege.  Wealth  be- 
longs to  the  man  who  creates  it,  and  no  one  should  take  it  without  render- 
ing an  equivalent.  If  society  delegates  a  public  function  to  private 
parties,  for  profit,  and  they  take  out  of  the  body  politic  more  than  the 
honest  cost  of  running  it,  don't  we  impoverish  the  people  from  whom 
they  took  it? 

Well,  if  society  impoverishes  you  by  taking  your  wages,  more  than 
they  should,  shoiildn't  society  make  good  to  you  in  the  form  of  social 
insurance  and  old  age  pension?  There  is  social  justice.  It  is  society 
feels  the}^  must  have  labor  machines  and  therefore  a  man  in  forty  years 
is  no  good  because  he  has  been  so  rapid  in  his  force  of  production. 

I  want  to  tell  you  years  ago  they  would  have  held  the  great  trouble, 
all  we  are  confronted  with  today  is  because  the  soverign  function  of 
issuing  money  has  been  delegated  to  private  parties  who  have  used  it 

35 


for  their  own  emolument  to  the  detriment  of  the  body  politic.  As  I 
say  how  can  that  be  so?  Where  is  this  power  to  furnish  this  universal 
tool  which  everybody  must  use?  Where  was  it  originally?  In  the  hands 
of  all  the  people.  Then  the-  people  wrote  a  National  Constitution. 
What  did  they  say  in  it?  The  power  to  issue  money  and  coin  money- 
and  regulate  the  value  thereof  is  exclusively  in  Congress.  Now  then  the 
only  way  that  you  regulate  the  value  of  money  is  by  quantity,  the  same 
way  you  regulate  the  value  of  potatoes  and  the  way  you  regulate  the 
value  of  labor  if  you  are  not  organized.  Having  delegated  this  power  to 
private  parties,  they  issued  this  credit  in  volumes  and  up  go  the  neces- 
sities of  life.  And  your  wages  having  been  fixed  in  money,  as  you  want 
them,  you  find  after  your  wages  have  been  paid  it  hasn't  the  same  pur- 
chasing power  as  when  you  went  to  work  in  the  morning.  Thus  you 
have  the  power  in  your  own  hands  to  take  back  this  function.  If  you 
want  to  free  labor,  commence  and  assail  these  people  where  they  will 
feel  it  the  most.  Don't  think  I  advocate  what  I  am  going  to  point  out. 
No.  I  would  bemoan  the  day  if  you  exercised  the  power  you  have.  If 
the  time  should  ever  come  when  organized  labor  throughout  the  length 
and  breadth  of  the  United  States,  as  one  of  its  elements  of  warfare, 
decided  that  they  would  take  out  all  the  money  which  they  had  claimed 
to,  and  put  it  in  their  pockets,  good  God,  what  suffering  would  come 
I  couldn't  estimate.  You  would  paralyze  every  industry  in  the  United 
States.  Do  you  realize  at  this  moment  twelve  thousand  millions  of  those 
obligations  are  in  promises  to  pay  on. the  part  of  the  bank  where  they 
have  twelve  thousand  millions  more  of  the  obligations  of  manufacturers. 

They  don't  want  you  educated  on  that  p(3int.  Forty  years  ago  a 
man  educated  on  the  line  was  a  marked  man. 

As  Brother  Haskins  said  no  manufacturer  or  merchant  dares  to 
open  his  mouth  against  this  privilege.  They  will  den}^  him  credit  the 
moment  he  does  it.  During  the  Bryan  campaign  in  '96  any  man  who 
dared  to  speak  for  money  was  set  one  side.  When  labor  commences 
again  to  study  this  question  as  it  did,  as  I  say  thirty  or  forty  years  ago, 
and  demand  these  privileges  which  they  have  taken  from  us,  and  which 
they  themselves  shall  put  back  into  the  hands  of  the  people  to  be  ad- 
ministered for  the  good  of  the  whole  of  the  people,  then  will  commence 
to  fall  this  great  empire  of  money  which  dominates  you  and  creates 
this  situation  today.  I  have  come  to  the  limits  of  my  time  and  I  hope 
I  haven't  tired  you  but  have  laid  a  foundation  so  that  you  will  study 
this  question.  Do  so  in  the  name  of  humanity  and  study  where  privilege 
robs  you  and  enslaves  you,  and  by  fighting  privileges  you  can  get  where 
you  should  be. 

At  12  M.  the  convention  adjourned  until  2  P.  M, 

36 


AFTERNOON  SESSION 

Meeting  called  to  order  at  2:10  P.  M.  by  President  Wrenn. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:  Fellow  delegates,  in  continuing  the  dis- 
cussion on  the  question  before  the  convention,  as  you  were  informed 
earlier  in  the  day,  there  are  several  representatives  of  International 
Unions  who  have  been  invited  to  be  present  to  give  the  convention 
the  benefit  of  their  experience  on  these  matters  and  I  now  introduce 
to  you  Vice.  President  Thornton  of  the  Bricklayers'  and  Plasterers' 
Union. 

(Report  of  the  Committee  on  Resolutions  continued;  Resolution 
No.   3  under  consideration). 

MR.  GEORGE  T.  THORNTON:  Mr.  Chairman  and  Delegates: 
I  want  to  say  at  the  outset  that  I  am  greatly  pleased  to  appear  here 
to  day  representing  the  Bricklayers',  Masons'  and  Plasterers'  Inter- 
national Union  as  an  affiiliated  International  of  the  American  Federation 
of  Labor.  Twenty  years  ago  I  was  a  delegate  to  our  International 
Convention  in  this  city,  and  at  that  time  the  question  of  affiliation 
was  discussed  by  the  delegates,  and  I  want  to  say  this  in  behalf  of  our 
International  Association  that  our  officers  always  favored  affiliation, 
and  at  that  convention  there  was  represented  on  the  floor  seven  delegates 
who  today  are  officers  of  the  International  Union,  President  Bowen; 
Vice-President  Priest,  Secretary  Dobson,  Vice-President  Izzard,  Childs, 
myself  and  last  but  not  least  the  bricklayer  in  our  castle,  Jerry  Driscoll 
of  Boston.  . 

This  Open  Shop  question  appeals  to  me  because  of  the  fact  our 
International  organization  has  been  for  the  past  ten  years  striking  that 
issue.  We  have  fought  it  all  over  this  continent  and  I  want  to  say  that 
with  the  co-operation  of  other  trades  we  have  fought  it  to  a  success- 
ful termination.  The  A.  B.  C  of  the  Open  Shop  is  men,  money  and 
combination  of  efforts,  and  you  can't  outline  any  plan,  you  can  hew  to 
the  line  and  follow  from  day  to  day.  The  plans  of  today  must  be  altered 
for  the  developments  you  meet  tomorrow.  Now  in  this  Worcester 
situation  last  March  I  was  sent  here  representing  the  Bricklayers' 
Masons'  and  Plasterers'  International  Union  of  America  to  co-operate 
with  Organizer  Potts  representing  the  Carpenters,  in  an  effort  to  unionize 
firms  employing  non-union  carpenters.  I  was  sent  here  because  of  the 
trade  agreement  between  the  United  Brotherhood  of  Carpenters  and 
Joiners'  and  the  Bricklayers',  Masons'  and  Plasterers'  International 
Union  of  America.  We  had  afterwards  with  us  in  the  different  con- 
ferences when  we  met  the  Builders,  Business  Agent  Garrett  of  the 
Building  Trades  Council,  and  Business  Agent  Sundin  of  the  Carpenters. 
We  met  the  representatives  of  those  three  firms,  had  four  conferences. 

*  37 


At  three  of  them  they  led  us  to  believe  that  our  request  for  the  union- 
izing of  the  conditions  on  their  alternations  would  be  granted.  They 
stated  they  had  to  consult  those  for  whom  they  were  doing  the  work. 
And  at  the  last  conference  they  told  us  that  the  owners  of  the  buildings 
for  whom  they  were  doing  the  work,  refused  positively  to  the  unionizing 
of  those  operations.  We  asked  them  how  it  was  they  agreed  to  the  em- 
ployment exclusively  of  union  bricklayers,  masons  and  plasterers  and 
they  hedged  on  that  question.  Each  of  those  firms  with  whom  we  were 
treating  at  that  time  employed  our  members,  and  no  others  because  our 
organization  doesn't  permit  a  member  to  wet  a  trowel  on  the  wall  with 
a  man  who  isn't  a  member.  We  refuse  to  permit  our  members  to  work 
with  a  man  who  refuses  to  pay  tribute  to  a  labor  union. 

As  I  say,  they  hedged  on  that  question  and  when  we  found  that 
the  four  conferences  resulted  in  nothing  being  obtained,  they  then 
asked  us  what  was  our  next  move.  Speaking  on  behalf  of  the  Brick- 
layers', Masons'  and  Plasterers'  International  Union,  I  told  them  I 
couldn't  anticipate  what  would  be  the  next  move,  first  and  foremost 
I  must  report  to  the  General  Executive  Board,  that  is  the  President, 
Vice-President  and  Secretary,  and  in  this  connection  I  want  so  say  that 
the  full  government  of  our  International  organization  is  vested  in  three 
men  and  those  three  men  are  the  supreme  power  of  our  organization, 
between,  conventions,  and  until  I  heard  from  them  I  couldn't  antici- 
pate what  move  would  be  made.  Organizer  Potts  reported  likewise  for 
the  Carpenters.  They  thanked  us  that  we  would  not  make  any  move, 
and  when  the  sub-contracting  trades  were  taken  into  consideration  we 
also  told  them  in  event  of  agreeing  to  unionize  the  Carpenters  and  the 
other  trades  whom  they  employed  direct,  we  would  permit  of  the  finishing 
of  the  operations  then  started  under,  the  conditions  that  then  existed, 
but  under  new  contracts  we  would  expect  that  the  work  would  be  done 
by  men  who  belonged  to  the  union  of  their  craft. 

.  Now  their  answer  to  us  the  following  day  was  the  locking  out  of  the 
Bricklayers',  Masons'  and  Plasterers'  International  Union.  That  con- 
ference was  held* on  Wednesday  afternoon,  and  by  Saturday  night  over 
125  union  Bricklayers,  Masons  and  Plasterers  were  locked  out  and  the 
fight  started  for  the  disruption  of  Unions  in  this  city.  At  the  time  that 
this  fight  started,  we  were  not  affiliated  with  the  American  Federation 
of  Labor,  but  because  of  our  co-operation  and  affiliation  through  an 
agreement  with  the  Carpenters,  we  stood  to  go  down  the  line,  sink  or  swim, 
with  the  other  trades,  and  I  want  to  say  now,  going  back  to  the  experience 
I  have  had  representing  our  International  Union  in  different  fights  against 
the  open  shop  proposition,  this  fight  will  be  carried  on  to  a  successful 
termination. 

38 


In  many  of  the  cities  where  we  have  fought  this  fight,  it  was  neces- 
sary for  our  international  organization  to  estabHsh  general  construction 
firms;  in  one  city  in  Illinois  where  all  the  trades  were  fighting  the  open- 
shop  proposition,  the  International  Union  started  a  construction  firm 
there  and  went  before  the  architects  and  owners  and  demanded  the  right 
to  figure  on  all  the  plans  then  in  the  market.  And  the  jjroposition  was 
backed  by  the  finances  of  our  organization,  and  I  want  to  say  when  once 
we  got  an  inroad  into  the  architects  offices,  the  contracts  came  our 
way  and  inside  of  a  year  Alton,  Illinois  was  cleaned  up  of  the  Open  Shop 
proposition,  because  the  owners  and  architects  found  the  journeymen 
•could  in  a  contracting  firm  do  work  just  as  well  as  those  who  were  fight- 
ing us.  At  the  present  time  we  are  doing  business  through  a  general 
construction  firm  out  on  the  coast  fighting  the  Open  Shop  proiDOsition. 
In  El  Paso,  Texas  we  established  a  brick  yard  at  a  cost  of  about  §200,- 
000  to  our  organization,  merely  to  save  the  union  from  destruction 
because  of  the  cheap  speculators  employing  Mexican  labor  upon  their 
contracts.  When  the  Union  contractors  in  .El  Paso  found  they  were  in 
competition  with  the  speculators  of  that  city  and  could  purchase  brick 
at  the  same  rate  that  the  Union  contractors  would  have  to  pay  for 
brick,  and  he  employed  Mexican  bricklayers  at  $3.00  per  day,  (which 
when  they  went  across  the  Rio  Grande  bridge,  the  $3.00  in  American 
money  was  equivalent  to  $6.00  in  Mexican),  and  it  was  found  the  Ameri- 
can Bricklayers  were  walking  the  streets  it  was  then  the  proposition 
came  before  the  St.  Joe  Convention,  and  two  years  later  came  before  the 
Houston  Convention,  and  all  the  delegates  from  the  state  of  Texas 
showed  that  the  border  cities  were  in  danger  if  something  wasn't  done  to 
protect  El  Paso,  the  result  was  that  the  brickyards  were  established 
on  a  greater  scale  than  was  anticipated  by  the  delegates  because  we 
realized  if  the  brickyard  was  put  in  that  city,  it  must  be  eventually 
a  paying  proposition  in  order  to  bring  profit  later  on  to  the  organization, 
and  I  want  to  say  through  the  introduction  and  establishment  of  that 
brick  yard  in  El  Paso,  which  is  owned  and  controlled  exclusively  by  the 
Bricklayers',  Masons'  and  Plasterers'  International  Union,  El  Paso 
has  been  cleaned  up  of  the  Open  Shop  fight  against  some  of  the  firms 
outside  of  those  speculators,  and  today  the  speculators,  if  they  want 
brick  have  to  purchase  them  as  the  International  Union  says  they  must. 

That  is  all  in  connection  with  the  fight  against  the  Open  Shop.  I 
want  to  say  I  favor  the  resolution  because  of  the  fact  it  is  absolutely 
necessary  in  fighting  the  Open  Shop  proposition,  that  the  Committee 
has  to  handle  the  proposition.  The  Open  Shop  fight  isn't  going  to  be 
won  through  publicity  in  tjie  press  because  none  of  the  Building  Trades 
has  won  a  strike  through  sympathy  of  the  public  press  or  the  reports 
contained  therein  of  the  strike,  in  fact  the  Building  Trades  have  numerous 

39 


strikes  never  published  from  time  to  time,  because  we  believe  that  strikes 
can  be  settled  without  any  publicity,  and  our  organization  in  particular 
has  been  a  trade  organization,  that  is  an  agreem^ent  organization.  We 
have  always  believed  in  industrial  peace  under  a  craft  agreement,  and  all 
that  has  made  it  possible  for  us  today  to  have  International  agreements 
with  the  largest  firms  in  the  country;  these  trade  agreements  do  not 
den}^  to  us  the  right  of  co-operation  with  the -unions  with  whom  we  are 
affiliated  with  the  Building  Trades  Department  in  the  American  Federa- 
tion of  Labor  and  also  in  the  local  department  in  the  various  cities  where 
we  have  engaged  in  the  fight  against  the  Open  Shop. 

I  remember  before  the  Washington  trouble  occurred  -and  the  fight 
they  had  against  Open  Shopism  in  that  city.  I  went  in  at  the  inception 
of  that  fight  and  the  members  of  the  Union  wanted  to  vote  to  go  out  on 
strike  the  following  morning,  picturing  to  themselves  they  were  so  strongly 
organized  that  the  fight  couldn't  last  a  week.  I  pictured  to  them  what 
the  Open  Shop  fight  meant  to  the  building  industry  that  the  employers 
would  endeavor  to  reach  men  who  were  weak  and  batter  their  organiza- 
tion and  bring  to  the  city  to  take  the  places  of  Union  men  those  they 
would  be  able  to  secure,  with  the  result  that  the  proposition  I  put  to 
them  at  that  time,  that  all  the  International  officers  be  brought  to  Wash- 
ington and  try  to  adjust  the  matter  by  conference  before  resorting  to  a 
strike,  was  done.  They  were  unsuccessful,  and  the  result  was  a  strike 
in  Washington  that  lasted  some  years  before  it  was  eventually  adjusted. 

After  the  lockout  in  this  city,  men  were  brought  to  this  city  from 
everywhere.  There  has  been  as  high  as  250  bricklayers  employed  in  this 
city  during  the  pasr  year  by  the  E.  J.  Cross  Company,  who  is  building 
operations  for  the  Metal  Trades  Association,  and  upon  those  buildings 
were  employed  men  whose  mechanical  abilitj^  was  such  they  were  not 
ehgible  for  membership  in  the  Union  of  their  craft.  Men  were  taken 
from  the  hod  and  placed  upon  the  wall  trying  to  lay  brick  in  order 
that  the  number  of  men  might  be  increased,  and  while  those  men  at- 
tending the  banquet  and  convention  held  recently  ^in  the  hotel,  might 
have  said  they  got  all  men  of  mechanical  ability  it  was  possible  to  get, 
I  want  to  say  if  their  books  were  examined  and  it  was  found  the  price 
they  were  paying  those  men,  it  would  be  a  revelation  to  the  owners  who 
were  footing  the  bills,  because  of  the  fact  it  was  non-competitive  work. 
Our  union  contractors  were  not  given  an  opportunity  to  figure  the  work 
and  it  was  told  to  a  Union  contractor  in  this  city  by  a  member  of  the 
Metal  Trades'  Association  he  needn't  expect  to  get  a  contract  to  con- 
struct a  building  in  this  city  from  any  member  of  the  Metal  Trades' 
Employers'  Association,  because  he  was  employing  Union  workmen 
throughout. 

40       ^ 


You  take  the  fight  as  it  has  spread  into  Providence,  Rhode  Island, 
and  those  who  are  acquainted  in  the  Building  Industry  will  appreciate 
the  fact  in  that  city  firms  that  heretofore  had  always  had  their  buildings 
erected  under  Union  conditions,  during  the  past  year  gave  their  work  to 
firms  hiring  nothing  but  non-union  men,  and  many  of  them  the  worst 
kind  of  scabs.  All  over  this  state  that  same  condition  has  spread,  men 
associated  with  the  Employers'  Association  and  Metal  Trades'  Asso- 
ciation are  awarding  their  contracts  to  firms  who  declare  for  the  Open 
Shop  policy,  and  it  behooves  every  member  of  organized  labor,  whether 
connected  with  the  building  industry  or  some  other  form  of  industry, 
to  take  a  stand  against  the  introduction  of  this  Open  Shop  policy.  They 
call  our  shop  the  "Closed  Shop"  and  I  am  sorry  to  say  some  of  our  union 
members  use  the  term  "Closed  Shop";  it  is  a  misnomer  and  shouldn't 
be  used  by  a  union  man.  It  is  open  to  every  man  who  is  eligible  to  mem- 
bership in  his  union. 

This  committee  will  outline  a  plan  that  can  be  followed.  In  follow- 
ing the  Open  Shop  fight  you  can't  follow  it  through  your  Union's  taking 
action  and  following  along  that  plan;  we  know  from  experience  that  plans 
outlined  in  Union  meetings  have  been  betrayed,  or  there  has  been  a 
leak,  and  the  result  was  our  plans  have  been  thwarted,  and  as  I  say  now 
and  repeat  now  what  I  said  before,  the  only  way  the  Open  Shop  fight  can 
be  fought  to  a  successful  finish  is  through  a  Committee  co-operating 
with  the  Executive  Board  of  this  Council,  and  on  behalf  of  the  Brick-^ 
layers',  Masons'  and  Plasterers'  International  Union.  I  want  to  say 
we  are  into  this  fight  with  all  the  trades  with  whom  we  are  afiQliated, 
numerically  and  financially,  and  we  have  never  yet  called  off  a  strike, 
and  do  not  intend  to  in  the  future,  and  when  we  finish  the  fight  success' 
will  crown  our  efforts.    Brothers,  I  thank  you. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:  I  will  now  introduce  to  you  Vice-Presi- 
dent Johnston  of  the  Iron  Workers'  Union. 

MR.  JOHNSTON:  I  don't  intend  to  take  any  length  of  time 
discussing  this  question,  for  I  am  not  in  the  best  of  health.  The  con- 
dition that  is  confronting  Worcester  at  the  present  time  has  confronted 
my  organization  throughout  the  entire  country  for  the  past  fifteen  years. 
The  words  "Open  Shop"  which  I  hear  mentioned  by  the  various  delegates 
at  this  convention,  are  an  invention  of  the  employers,  to  bring  about  a 
meaning  that  they  like.  In  my  organization  there  is  no  word  Open  Shop, 
it  is  either  Union  or  scab,  and  let  us  get  right  down  to  facts,  that  wherever 
there  is  a  fight  and  other  men  take  their  places,  it  is  not  Open  Shop  it  is 
pure  and  simple  scabbing.  This  situation  in  Worcester  may  look  ver\' 
bad  on  the  face  of  it  to  a  lot  of  men ;  as  I  heard  here  this  morning  some- 
body say  that  there  were  eight  million  dollars  in  back  of  this  fight. 
They  will  not  spend  any  eight  million  dollars,    when  it  comes  down  to 

41 


a  final  issue  to  make  them  spend  money.  We  have  battled  with  the  big- 
gest corporation  in  this  country  for  fifteen  years  with  the  United  States 
steel  Corporation,  with  hundreds  of  millions  of  dollars  in  back  of  them. 
I  am  going  to  cite  a  little  history  of  that  corporation  to  you  men 
and  women  in  this  hall  to  show  you  the  methods  that  are  used  by  some 
those  so-called  corporations.  Along  about  1900  in  the  office  of  J.  Pier- 
pont  Morgan  in  Wall  Street,  New  York  City,  was  formed  the  United 
States  Steel  Corporation,  and  on  the  minutes  of  that  tneeting  was  spread  a 
resolution  that  that  corporation  go  out  and  destroy  each  and  every 
union  that  had  any  doings  in  the  steel  industry  in  this  country.  In 
the  fall  of  that  year  the  Seamen's  Union  of  the  Great  Lakes  was  the 
first  organization  this  Trust  took  a  crack  at.  That  fight  was  carried  on,  and 
carried  on  very  bitterly  by  the  members  of  that  Seamen's  Union  in  through 
the  Great  Lakes.  For  practically  eleven  months  those  men  were  fighting  all 
the  time.  Through  some  of  the  officials  of  the  Seamen's  Union  where  money 
could  buy,  that  organization  was  destroyed.  Today  on  the  Lakes  there 
is  only  a  semblance  of  an  organization  in  the  city  of  Milwaukee.  Along 
about  the  fall  of  1901  or  maybe  the  early  part  of  1902  they  made  the 
fight  against  the  Amalgamated  Steel  Association,  men  employed  in  the 
mills  of  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio.  How  many  men  that  are  in  this  hall 
remember  that  fight,  and  rendered  any  assistance  to  that  organization 
at  that  time  with  a  membership  of  over  ninety-five  thousand  men? 
The  appeals  were  sent  out  to  evcr^^  organization  regardless  of  who  they  were, 
stating  what  they  were  up  against,  asking  for  assistance  but  it  never  came. 
The  fight  was  in  Pennsylvania,  it  was  in  Ohio.  It  didn't  hit  any  other 
section  of  the  country  but  those  two  sections.  Today  there  is  a  semblance 
of  an  organization  of  the  Amalgamated  Steel  Workers  of  seven  or  eight 
thousand  members  working  in  some  of  the  independent  mills  in  the  State 
■  of  Ohio.  They  practically  destroyed  that  organization  in  Pennsylvania 
with  the  help  of  the  State  Constabulary  of  that  State.  In  1903  they  had 
another  mill  stone  around  their  necks  and  they  made  an  effort  to  destroy, 
attacking  the  Bridge  and  Structural  Iron  Workers  at  that  time,  and  going 
into  a  nine  months'  fight  with  them  in  which  we  licked  them.  We  made 
them  like  that  fight  as  much  as  they  ever  liked  any  fight.  It  continued 
on  down  under  an  agreement  until  1905,  under  an  agreement  they  would 
sublet  no  work  to  any  non-union  erector.  In  the  City  of  New  Haven, 
Connecticut,  August  10,  1905,  we  struck  the  American  Bridge,  which 
was  one  of  the  principal  erectors  at  that  time,  subletting  their  work 
to  a  non-union  contractor.  That  fight  developed  not  only  in  that  section 
of  the  country  but  it  was  universal  in  the  United  States  and  Canada. 
We  struck  every  firm  connected  with  the  United  States  Steel  Corporation. 
In  December  of  1905,  in  conference  in  Pittsburg,  with  the  head  officials 

42 


of  the  United  States  Steel  Corporation,  we  were  told  the}'  were  goinf^ 
to  drive  us  oflF  the  face  of  the  earth,  but  we  are  still  here. 

The  rest  of  the  fight  is  fresh  in  the  memory  of  every  man  carrying 
a  union  eard;  we  have  shouldered  this  battle  ourselves,  practically 
costing  our  organization  over  half  a  million  dollars  to  fight  through  the 
courts,  and  Supreme  Courts  of  this  country.  Today,  instead  of  being 
destroyed,  we  are  better,  stronger,  and  stronger  financially  than  we  have 
ever  been  in  the  history  of  the  organization.     (Applause). 

The  "Open  Shop,"  as  they  call  it,  is  a  wonderful  thing  for  them, 
but  the  Steel  Corporation  has  become  sick  and  tired  of  spending  money ; 
they  can't  lick  us  and  we  don't  intend  to  lay  down  to  any  such  policies 
as  laid  down  by  the  employers  of  this  city.  The  principal  part  of  the 
fight 'in  the  State  of  Massachusetts,  as  far  as  I  can  see,  is  confined  to  two 
centres,  or  perhaps  three,  Worcester,  Springfield  and  another  one. 
This  fight  can  be  carried  on,  and  carried  on  that  you  can  make  the 
American  Employers'  Association  or  whatever  they  call  themselves,  sick  in 
less  than  two  months.  Yoii  can  make  the  majority  of  those  men  with- 
draw from  the  organization  in  two  months  time  regardless  of  how 
much  money  they  have  in  this  institution,  but  it  can't  be  done  in 
this  convention  hall.  It  can't  be  done  by  getting  up  here  and  telling 
what  you  ought  to  do.  There  is  only  one  way  to  give  them  a 
fight  of  this  calibre  and  you  have  to  go  after  it  with  money. 
If  they  have  $8,000,000,  make  them  spend  that  $8,000,- 
000,  see  how  far  they  will  go  in  spending  it.  For  every  dollar  you  lay 
out,  make  them  lay  out  ten  times  that  one  and  you  will  find  they  will 
quit  like  a  lot  of  dogs.  I  have  had  experience  with  some  of  these  big 
contractors  that  are  going  to  take  millions  of  dollars  to  make  con- 
ditions for  themselves,  driving  the  men  wherever  they  want  them,  but 
in  the  finish  after  spending  a  few  dollars  with  them,  or  against  them, 
they  quit.  It  isn't  so  long  ago  in  the  city  of  Bridgeport  that  the  Manu- 
facturers' Association  came  out  with  an  open  statement  they  were  going 
to  drive  me  out  of  Bridgeport.  The}^  didn't  drive  me  out  and  the}'" 
didn't  put  me  in  jail  either  but  I  believe  we  got  the  conditions  we  started 
after   in   Bridgeport, 

The  delegates  are  here  for  a  purpose  of  devising  waj^s  and  means 
whereby  they  can  see  or  bring  back  to  their  local  unions  how  they  are 
going  to  fight,  this  so-called  open  shop  policy,  not  open  shop,  and  don't 
be  putting  those  words  out  so  the  newspapers  and  others  can  handle  them. 
It  is  invented  by  employers,  it  is  either  scab  or  union.  I  don't  know 
the  membership  of  this  State  Federation,  and  I  don't  know  how  far 
down  in  their  pockets  the  local  uniyns  affiliated  with  this  Federation 
will  go,  I  know  this;  you  can  appoint  a  million  men  on  a  Com- 
mittee here  and  unless  you  provide  some  means  of  financing  the  fight, 

43 


you  might  just  as  well  close  your  convention  and  adjourn  now.  Here  is 
the  place  you  are  to  devise  your  ways  and  means.  You  have  to  devise 
how  much  per  member  you  are  going  to  collect  on  a  special  assessment 
and  then  go  to  it  and  you  will  find  the  other  fellow  won't  stand  the  blow. 
I  thank  you. 

■  PRESIDENT  WRENN :  I  now  present  to  you  the  representative 
of  the  Brotherhood  of  Carpenters  and  Joiners,  Mr.  Morgan. 

MR.  JOHN  W.  MORGAN:  Mr.  Chairman  and  fellow  delegates: 
I  am  not  going  to  take  up  much  of 'your  time,  as  the  Open  Shop  pro- 
position has  been  outlined  to  you  pretty  thoroughly  by  International 
Vice-President  Thornton,  but  there  is  one  thing  I  want  to  impress  on 
the  minds  of  the  delegates  here  and  that  is  over  three  and  one-half  mil- 
lions of  work  has  been  constructed  in  this  city  and  immediate  vicinity 
with  non-union  men.  Never  has  there  been  a  man  belonging  to  any 
Building  Trades  craft,  carrying  a  Union  Card,  employed  on  the  con- 
struction of  that  work.  That  work  was  given  out  on  a  15  per  cent  basis. 
I  want  to  point  to  you  just  one  instance,  namely  the  Boston  Store.  When 
the  Union  firms  were  figuring  that  store  one  of  the  best  Union  firms 
that  had  done  work  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  and  their  reputa- 
tion is  above  par,  throughout  the  entire  country,  agreed  with  the  Boston 
Store  for  the  operation  to  construct  that  work  and  be  through  alter- 
ation within  ninety  days  after  starting  of  work.  They  were  one  thousand 
dollars  higher  than  the  Open  Shop  contractors  that  received  the  con- 
tracts later.  I  believe  that  some  of  the  men  in  the  Boston  Store  Cor- 
poration were  inclined  to  be  fair  to  organized  labor  and  they  wanted 
to  give  it  to  the  Union  firm,  but  when  it  came  down  to  float  the  loans 
for  that  construction  job,  and  alterations,  they  were  cold  turkey,  they 
must  have  it  done  under  open  shop  conditions  if  they  were  going  to 
have  the  money  out  of  the  bank  of  the  City  of  Worcester.  What  did 
they  do  ?  They  gave  it  to  the  Open  Shop  concern,  threw  the  contract  to 
the  winds  and  the  job  isn't  completed  yet  that  was  to  be  completed  on 
September  1st,  and  as  far  as  I  can  learn  from  reliable  sources  the  job 
has  cost  in  excess  of  the  first  contract  price  $175,000  and  on  top  of 
that  they  imported  in  this  city,  even  in  the  hotel  where  I  stopped  at 
one  time,  thugs  and  gun  men  of  all  descriptions,  and  then  they  want 
the  good,  peaceful  citizens  of  this  city  to  patronize  their  store  and  be 
submissive  to  their  wishes.  That  is  one  instance  and  they  have  gone 
down  the  line  further  in  every  building  construction  job  and  said  no  union 
firm,  no  union  man  can  work  on  our  construction  work. 

I  am  just  going  to  draw  another  picture  for  you  of  the  conditions 
that  the  scabs  are  working  under  in  building  some  of  these  plants. 
In  Palmer  I  visited  the  job  being  done  by  a  non-union  concern  for  the  Ex- 
Mayor  of  this  city  that  retired  from  office  January  1st.     The  man  who 

44 


goes  to  work,  a  building  trades  mechanic  must  go  on  the  job  at  seven 
o'clock  in  the  morning  and  rem.ain  until  six  o'clock  at  night,  ten  hours. 
You  men  are  conversant  with  building  construction  work  and  know 
full  well  no  mechanic  can  work  until  six  o'clock  at  night  at  this  time  of 
the    year. 

In  Woonsocket,  Rhode  Island,  where  the  Woonsocket  Rubber 
Company  turned  over  another  contract  to  the  Fiske  Carter  firm  under 
the  same  conditions,  and  men  are  not  allowed  to  carry  lunches.  They 
must  purchase  them  from  the  Rubber  Company,  and  must  stay  from 
seven  to  six  o'clock.  As  has  been  outlined  by  my  brother  from  Boston, 
Brother  Huddell,  this  fight  has  been  growing  for  some  four  years  to 
my  knowledge.  At  one  time  they  wanted  some  of  the  largest  contract- 
ing firms  of  Boston  to  take  up  the  proposition  of  the  open  shop  and  they 
would  give  them  all  the  large  work  they  were  trying  to  have  constructed 
throughout  New  England,  and  one  of  the  contractors,  (I  am  not  at 
at  liberty  to  use  his  name)  called  me  into  his  office  and  informed  me  of 
the  facts.  They  looked  around  for  a  clover  patch  for  the  bee  to  suck 
the  honey  and  they  decided  Worcester,  and  Worcester  County  was  the 
place  to  start  the  open  shop  fight.  They  started,  and  I  have  been  sent 
by  my  international  association  here  since  August  and  it  has  spread  to 
two  or  three  sections  in  Northern  New  York.  So  you  can  readily  see 
they  are  not  going  to  stop  and  I  say  to  you,  fellow  trade  unionists,  you 
the  representatives  of  your  organization,  whether  you  be  building  trades 
or  miscellaneous  trades,  it  is  as  much  your  fight  as  ours.  The  building 
trades  organizations,  you  men  are  the  militant  organization  in  the  entire 
labor  movement  and  if  they  decide  to  exterminate  the  building  trades 
organizations,  the  killing  off  of  the  miscellaneous  organizations  will 
be  an  easy  matter,  but  I  say  to  these  men  that  we  are  going  to  fight, 
and  I  had  the  pleasure  of  attending  the  Baltimore  convention  of  the 
Building  Trades  Department,  and  in  conference  there  with  other  in- 
ternational officers,  we  decided  we  are  going  to  carry  this  fight  to  a  suc- 
cessful issue  and  men  and  women  gathered  here  today,  we  are  going 
to  make  history  of  the  labor  movement  at  this  very  convention  assembled 
here  in  Worcester  in    1917. 

As  I  said  before,  this  is  the  fight  of  the  coming  generation.  We  are 
going  to  try  and  hold  conditions  and  make  them  better,  if  possible, 
to  hand  down  to  those  we  are  going  to  leave  behind  us,  and  if  we  allow 
ourselves  to  sit  idly  by  and  not  combat  this  proposition  that  is  confront- 
ing us,  we  are  going  to  leave  them  in  a  worse  condition  than  at  the  present 
time. 

This  Employers'  Association  has  already  spent  over  half  a  mil- 
lion right  here  in  the  city  of  Worcester,  Mass.,  and  they  have  been  trying 
to  entangle  other  organizations  in  this  fight  in  other  cities,  and  they 

45 


have  purposely  to  my  knowledge  in  this  state  sublet  plumbing  and  steam- 
fitting  to  union  concerns  so  they  would  declare  for  the  open  shop  and 
lock  out  union  men. 

I  don't  want  to  keep  you  any  longer  as  there  are  several  interna- 
tional officers  want  to  speak  to  you.  Grant  said,  "We  are  going  to  fight 
it  out  along  these  lines  if  it  takes  us  all  summer,"  and  I  say  now  we  are 
going  to  be  successful,  and  success  is  going  to  crown  our  efforts,  and  as 
the  great  emancipator,  O'Connell  said,  "it  is  a  long  pull,  and  a  hard  pull, 
but  if  we  all  pull  together,  we  will  establish  the  foundations  of  the  Em- 
pire." We  are  going  to  establish  the  foundation  of  the  Metal  Trades  and 
as  long  as  God  spares  me  my  health  and  strength,  and  I  am  in  the  position 
I  am,  I  am  going  to  battle  that  fight  and  I  know  that  my  International 
and  other  organizations  that  are  in  this  fight  will  continue,  and  I  re- 
quest you  delegates  to  go  back  to  your  respective  localities  and  spread 
the  good  work  of  this  convention  and  tell  them  of  the  danger  that  con- 
fronts them.  It  is  your  fight,  everybody's  fight  throughout  the  com- 
monwealth. 

MR.  WRENN:  I  now  present  to  you  Mr.  Thomas  J.  Savage 
of  the  General  Executive  Board  of  Machinists. 

MR.  THOMAS  J.  SAVAGE:  Mr.  Chairman  and  Delegates: 
My  experience  has  been  in  representing  my  Association  before  the 
various  Congressional  Committees  and  also  before  the  committees 
of  the  American  Federation  of  Labor,  that  the  less  I  had  to  say  and 
the  shortest  time  I  took  in  saying  it,  I  created  the  best  impression  for 
my  Association,  so  I  am  going  to  be  very  brief  in  my  remarks  and  let 
this  delegation  get  down  to  the  real  business  that  it  has  before  it  to- 
day  here. 

I  want  to  say,  however,  that  during  the  past  two  or  three  years, 
the  Association  which  I  represent,  has  conducted  a  campaign  of  or- 
ganization and  a  campaign  for  bettering  the  conditions  of  the  men 
of  our  craft  and  those  employed  in  the  machine  and  metal  industry 
of  this  country,  a  campaign  the  like  of  which  was  never  conducted 
before.  During  the  year  just  past  we  have  expended  in  money  alone 
over  $300,000  in  making  better  conditions,  shortening  the  hours  of  labor 
not  only  for  the  men  of  our  craft  but  for  all  machine  shop  workers. 
While  I  would  like  to  touch  on  that  to  a  great  extent  today,  I  realize 
you  have  a  great  deal  of  things  to  thrash  out  and  arrive  at  some  proper 
solution  of  this  problem  and  form  your  plans  for  carrying  on  the  campaign 
here  against  the  open  shop.  But  I  am  not  going  to  take  up  your  time  other 
than  to  say  it  has  been  my  experience  in  the  State  of  Massachusetts 
that  there  are  a  great  many  things  need  attention.  During  the  recent 
strike,  a  general  strike,  in  the  City  of  Pittsfield,  where  we  had  over 
6000  workers  on  the  street  for  five  weeks.     I  want  to  call  this  to  your 

46 


attention, — ^not  for  action  here  today,  as  I  realize  this  is  not  the  place 
for  it,  it  was  my  experience  being  one  of  the  representatives  of  one 
of  the  Internationals  conducting  the  campaign,  we  had  imported  into 
that  city  every  state  policeman, — every  Metropolitan  cop  there  was 
in  the  State  of  Massachusetts.  We  had  this  cond  tion, — we  had  boiler 
inspectors  in  there  and  all  that  go  to  make  up  the  police  department 
of  this  state,  under  the  direction  of  Chief  Neil.  We  not  only  had  them 
in  there,  trying  as  they  claimed,  to  maintain  peaceful  picketing,  but 
we  had  this  situation  to  confront  us, — we  had  the  deputy  chief  of  the 
state  police  of  this  state  addressing  gatherings  throughout  the  state, 
urging  the  strikers  to  go  back  to  work.  We  not  only  had  that,  but  they 
took  the  women  and  girls  born  and  brought  up  in  the  city,  of  Pitts- 
field, — and  those  state  police  throwing  those  girls  into  jail,  not  by  one's 
or  two's,  but  by  scores.  Those  are  things  you  want  to  take  up  when 
you  go  back  to  your  local  unions  and  your  central  bodies,  to  consider. 
There  are  a  great  many  questions  confronting  the  labor  organiza- 
tions today, — the  question  of  military  training,  the  question  of  com- 
pulsory arbitration, — those  are  leading  questions.  You  are  not  here 
probably  to  consider  those  today,  but  in  closing  my  remarks  I  want 
to  say  this  as  the  representative  of  a  Metal  Trades  organization,  we 
welcome  at  this  time  the  event  of  the  Building  Trades  and  all  the  rest 
of  the  trades  coming  with  us  to  join  hands  to  fight  the  National  Metal 
Trades  Association,  and  I  want  to  assure  you  as  far  as  the  International 
Association  of  Machinists  is  concerned,  we  will  go  down  the  line  all 
the  way  through.     I  thank  you,  Mr.  Chairman. 

MR.  WRENN:  I  have  the  pleasure  of  presenting  Mr.  John  T. 
Fennell,  representing  the  International  Brotherhood  of  Electrical 
Workers. 

MR.  JOHN  T.  FENNELL:  Mr.  Chairman  and  Ladies  and  Gentle- 
men: I  am  going  to  try  and  do  my  best  to  be  heard,  but  I  don't  know 
as  I  shall  be  successful,  as  I  have  a  bad  cold,  but  I  want  to  say,  after 
listening  to  the  striking  remarks  of  the  previous  speakers  relative  to 
open  shop  and  union  conditions,  I  don't  think  there  is  anything  left 
for  an  ordinary  man  to  say,  therefore  I  am  going  to  refrain  from  in- 
flicting the  same  remarks  on  the  delegates,  and  I  ask  you  on  behalf  of 
the  Electrical  Workers  and  other  building  trades  throughout  the  country, 
to  vote  for  this  resolution,  and  I  feel  that  at  this  time  every  man  and 
woman  in  the  audience  is  in  favor  of  it,  and  I  say  there  w^on't  be  any 
hardship  put  on  them  when  they  vote  in  favor  of  it.  I  know  the  men  here 
are  going  out  and  take  this  miatter  to  their  local  organizations,  and  the 
women  also.  I  don't  think  there  is  any  necessity  for  further  remarks 
on  my  part  or  that  of  any  other  international  offiicer,  when  we  realize 
all  the  working  people  of  Massachusetts  are  combined  for  a  bitter  at- 

47 


tack  upon  the  open  shop,  and  it  won't  be  very  long  before  this  terrible 
unknown  quantity  of  which  we  hear  so  much,  which  is  built  up  of  a 
lot  of  vapor,  will  fall  to  pieces,  because  those  who  are  financing  the 
proposition  to  keep  these  non-union  business  agents  in  the  field,  will 
lose  the  means  to  keep  them  on  the  road  and  the  open  shop  fight  will 
depreciate  considerably.  I  am  going  to  ask  you  to  take  it  back  to  your 
organization,  to  carry  out  and  support  the  intention  of  this  resolution, 
which  I  believe  this  convention  has  before  you  and  which  I  at  present 
do  not  know  a  great  deal  about.     I  thank  you  for  your  attention. 

PRESIDENT   WRENN:      Delegate    Garrett  for   the  Committee. 

DELEGATE  ALDEN:  Mr.  President,  I  am  not  going  to  take 
up  very  much  time  but  it  seems  to  me  now  is  an  opportune  moment 
for  me  to  say  something  that  I  have  had  in  my  mind  that  woujd  seem  to 
apply  very  well  here  with  considerable  force.  I  haven't  counted  the 
number  of  delegates  in  this  hall,  I  don't  know  exactly  how  many  there 
are,  but  I  will  venture  to  say  that  there  is  a  large  proportion  of  them  that 
although  sitting  here  ostensibly  in  a  fight  against  the  Open  Shop  are 
themselves  so  inconsistent  as  to  be  here  talking  about  Employers' 
Associations  and  they  are  supporting  the  open  shops  of  this  country 
with  their  union  earned  money.  It  seems  to  me  pretty  near  time  that 
the  labor  men  of  Massachusetts  if  intending  to  make  anything  out 
of  this  campaign  for  union  conditions  should  start  in  our  own  homes, 
commencing  at  home  in  our  own  expenditures,  of  our  union  money 
that  we  receive  because  of  our  union  conditions,  so-called,  and  buy  union 
made  goods  and  we  can  all  get  them.  We  are  buying  scab  goods  and 
hollering  about  scabs. 

Our  Constitution  provides  for  examination  of  delegates  wearing 
union  labelled  products.  I  don't  know  how  may  companions  I  would 
have  if  this  was  carried  out. 

Another  thing,  it  seems  to  me  we  have  to  realize  very  soon  if  we 
are  going  to  make  any  headway,  we  don't  need  to  lose  our  heads  about 
this  matter  in  Worcester.  It  didn't  start  yesterday.  It  started  long 
ago  all  over  this  country.  Los  Angeles  was  picked  out  at  one  time  as 
the  great  open  shop  city  of  this  country.  It  will  be  continued  by  these 
men,  some  of  them  parasites  on  employers  as  we  find  some  on  the 
labor  movement,  representing  how  much  better  it  would  be  to  run 
an  open  shop.  Talk  about  the  labor  agitator!  He  isn't  in  it  with  some 
of  the  contractor's  agents  going  around  the  country. 

The  Typographical  Union  in  1906  established  an  eight-hour  day. 
Talk  about  $8,000,000?  The  Typographical  Union  raised  eight  million 
dollars  and  didn't  go  out  begging  for  assistance.  I  say  to  you  I  hope 
the  day  has  come  in  Worcester  today  that  the  labor  men  in  Massa- 
chusetts realize  they  had  better  prepare  for  this  war,  better  start;  they 

48 


had  better  start  paying  dues  to  their  own  organization.  There  is  nothing 
makes  me  so  tired  as  to  help  a  Union  get  an  increase  in  wages  and  then 
see  them  welch  when  it  comes  to  paying  part  of  the  increase  in  increased 
dues,  laying  aside  sinews  of  war.  Building  trades,  Metal  trades  or  any 
other,  they  are  not  paying  dues  into  the  organization  they  should. 
Why  don't  we  put  some  of  the  money  into  our  Union  where  we  could 
have  it  and  we  wouldn't  have  to  devise  ways  and  means  of  levying  as- 
sessments or  having  a  Committee  of  Ten  assist  the  Executive  Board  of 
Massachusetts  State  Branch. 

We  had  better  start  fighting  the  employer  by  spending  union  money 
for  union  goods,  putting  some  of  the  increased  money  the  union  brings 
us  into  the  union  treasury  and  cut  out  some  of  the  scrapping  back  and  forth. 
Be  better  union  men  and  we  won't  have  such  a  hard  time  beating  the 
employer.     We  will  be  more  consistent. 

One  more  thing,  and  I  am  done.  They  talk  abotit  publicity.  Start 
out  tomorrow  and  ask  the  union  men  of  Massachusetts  or  any  other 
State  to  support  the  only  papers  they  can  find  to  print  the  things  they 
want,  and  show  me  how  many  will  do  it.  You  have  a  paper  in  Worcester 
willing  to  carry  on  the  fight  if  you  say  so,  against  the  Open  Shop  or 
Employers'  Organization.  How  many  union  men  are  supporting  it? 
How  many  patronize  or  advertise  in  it?  Don't  blame  anybody  but  your- 
selves. First,  examine  into  our  own  actions  and  see  if  we  are  doing 
our  part.  You  have  a  paper  and  you  are  not  using  it.  Other  localities 
would  have  papers  but  union  men  are  so  stingy  in  supporting  union 
papers,  nobody  dares  to  take  a  chance  to  start  one  because  union  men 
won't  give  support.  A  union  man  goes  around  getting  what  sup- 
port he  can  rather  than  quit  entirely  and  the  first  thing  you  know  he 
is  called  a  crook  or  a  grafter.  He  tries  to  do  his  part  but  isn't  supported. 
Let  us  commence  ourselves  doing  these  things.  Let  this  Committee 
of  Ten,  among  other  things  go  to  the  Local  Unions  and  try  to  have  them 
increase  their  dues.  Let  them  go  through  Massachusetts  and  find 
out  if  we  are  going  to  carry  on  the  fight  with  the  Emplo3^ers' Associa- 
tion that  we  haven't  fifty  per  cent  of  the  labor  unions  affiliated  with 
the  State  Branch  in  Massachusetts, — they  are  scabbing  on  the  labor 
movement, — same  as  any  fellow  scabbing  on  the  job,  50  per  cent  re- 
fusing to  take  part  and  pay  one  cent,  a  member  a  month.  Let  us  go 
to  it  as  Union  men  and  commence  now. 

DELEGATE  MURPHY,  589:  It  seems  to  me  Mr.  Chaimian  we 
have  had  a  very  intelligent  discussion  on  this  subject  this  morning, 
and  I  say  that  we  are  in  the  trenches  as  far  as  going  out  to  fight  this 
proposition  is  concerned,  and  I  think  the  most  intelligent  suggestion 
that  has  been  made  this  morning  was  made  by  the  Committee  that 
reported   to    your    Convention. 

49 


WiisLt  we  want  to  do  is  to  get  down  to  business,  we  have  had  this 
thing  discussed  now  for  nearly  5  hours.  If  we  are  going  to  accept  the; 
recommendation  of  this  Committee  let  us  accept  or  reject  it  but  let 
us  do  it  a  little  faster. 

I  move  you  the  previous  question^  Mr.  Chairman,  Motion  seconded 
and  carried  unanimously. 

Report  of  committee  on  Resolution  No.  3  carried  unanimously. 

DELEGATE  GLAVIN:  I  move  you  at  this  time  that  the  pro- 
ceedings of  this  convention  as  far  as  possbile  be  furnished  verbatim 
with  details  and  documents  in  the  Employers  Open  Shop  campaign 
to  the  labor  papers  and  any  other  papers  that  will  print  them. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:  If  there  are  no  objections,  it  will  be  so 
ordered.     Hearing  none,  it  is  so  ordered. 

DELEGATE  GARRETT:  (Reporting  for  the  Committee  on 
Resolutions) :  The  committee  recommends  Resolution  2  be  referred 
back  to  the  petitioner. 

VOICES :    Read  it. 

DELEGATE  GARRETT: 

"RESOLVED:  That  we,  the  delegates  to  the  Massachusetts 
State  Branch,  A.  F.  of  L.  in  session  at  Worcester,  Mass.,  this  day  of 
January  do  condemn  Legislative  Agent  John  P.  Meade  for  allowing 
his  name  to  be  used  for  an  appointive  political  office,  while  holding 
office  in  thiis  organization.     Be  it  further 

RESOLVED :  That  we  the  delegates  to  this  convention,  that  said 
Delegate  either  withdraw  his  name  being  now  used  for  an  appointive 
political  office,  or  this  convention  go  on  record  of  declaring  his  office 
vacant.  < 

JAMES  T.  MORIARTY, 

(Sheet  Metal  Workers  17,   Boston)." 

DELEGATE  HUDDELL:  T  would  like  to  have  the  Chairman  of 
the  Committee  make  the  entire  report,  that  is,  there  was  a  dissenter  to 
the  Committee's  report.  ■ 

DELEGATE  GARRETT:  I  might  state,  Mr.  Chairman  and 
Delegates,  it  was  the  desire  of  the  majority  of  the  Committee  not  to 
report  this  resolution,  but  refer  it  back  to  the  petitioner,  and  then  the 
question  was  raised  as  to  the  number  of  members  on  the  Committee 
voting  in  favor  of  it.  There  was  one  declared  a  dissenter  on  sending 
it  back  to  the  petitioner,  one  member  of  the  Committee. 

DELEGATE  ALDEN :  Are  you  going  to  find  out  if  the  mover  is 
not  going  to  withdraw,  as  I  want  to  raise  a  point  of  order. 

DELEGATE  GLAVIN :  I  move  nqn-concurrence  in  the  report 
of  the   Committee. 

50 


DELEGATE  BROWN:  Point  of  order.  My  point  of  order  is 
that  this  Convention  having  called  for  specific  objects,  those  oVjjects 
'having  been  clearly  defined,  the  President  having  ruled  nothing  but 
those  subjects  should  come  before  it, — this  subject  is  foreign  to  it,  and 
if  it  is  going  to  be  a  campaign  of  personalities — 

PRESIDENT  WRENN :    The  point  of  order  as  stated  is  well  taken. 

DELEGATE  GLAVIN:  I  appeal  from  the  decision  of  the  chair 
most  respectfully. 

Vice-President  Mullen  in  the  chair. 

DELEGATE  DULLEA:  I  rise  to  a  point  of  order  on  the  appeal 
from  the  decision  of  the  chair.  My  point  of  order  is  that  the  Chair 
.at  the  opening  of  this  Convention  decided  nothing  could  be  brought 
before  it  except  that  stated  in  the  Special  Call,  and  that  the  Conven- 
tion endorsed  that  position.  They  cannot  now  take  an  appeal  from 
the  decision  of  the  Chair.  Inasmuch  as  the  Chair  in  the  Convention 
rules  that  nothing  could  be  brought  on  the  floor  of  this  Convention 
except  those  things  especially  speciiied  in  the  Call,  and  the  Convention 
itself  endorsed  that  decision,  that  no  appeal  from  that  decision  can 
be  taken  during  the  life  of  this  convention.     I  ask  for  a  ruling  on  that. 

VICE-PRESIDENT  MULLEN:  Inasmuch  as  the  Resolution 
Committee  has  made  a  report,  my  ruling  is  it  becomes  the  business 
of  this  Convention. 

DELEGATE  GLAVIN:    I  withdraw  my  appeal 

DELEGATE  MORIARTY:    What  is  the  vote? 

President  Wrenn  in  the  Chair. 

DELEGATE  MORIARTY:  I,  as  the  introducer  of  the  Reso- 
lution wish  to  app^  from  the  decision  of  the  Chair. 

Vice-President   Mullen  in  the   Chair. 

DELEGATE   MORIARTY  spoke  on  his  appeal. 

DELEGATE  BROWN:.  I  rise  to  a  point  of  order  which  is  on 
an  appeal  from  the  Chair  you  can't  go  into  subject  matter  of  the  Re- 
solution. 

VICE-PRESIDENT  MULLEN:  The  Chair  rules  anything  may 
be  discussed  on  an  appeal  from  the  decision  of  the  Chair. 

VICE-PRESIDENT  MULLEN:  Question  before  the  house  is 
whether  the  President's  decision  shall  be  sustained. 

A  voice  vote  being  taken  Vice-President  Mullen  declared  the 
President's  decision  not  sustained. 

The  vote  being  doubted,  a  rising  vote  was  taken  which  resulted 
in  51  to  sustain  the  Chair  and  152  opposed. 

DELEGATE  ALDEN :  Point  of  order.  Question  comes  on  con- 
currence in  Committee's  report,  and  that  motion  is  not  in  order.     It 

51 


is  a  negative  motion  and  not  in  order  as  the  report  of  Committee  is  to 
refer  back  to  petitioner. 

VICE-PRESIDENT  MULLEN :    Chair  will  rule  point  is  well  taken. 

DELEGATE  HUDDELL:  Point  of  order.  I  would  like  a  ruling 
whether  a  Committee's  report  is  before  the  body  without  a  motion. 

VICE-PRESIDENT  MULLEN :  I  would  rule  Committee's  report 
is  before  the  body. 

DELEGATE  HUDDELL:  I  desire  to  move  to  substitute  the 
resolution  for  the  Committee's  report. 

Motion  seconded  by   Delegate   Moriarty. 

VICE-PRESIDENT  MULLEN:  A  motion  has  been  made  and 
seconded  to  substitute  resolution  for   Committee's  report. 

Question  further  discussed  by  Delegates  Poitras  and  Meade. 

VICE-PRESIDENT  MULLEN :  Brother  Carmody  has  requested 
the  floor.     Is  there  any  objection  to  Brother  Carmody  taking  the  floor? 

DELEGATE  DRISCOLL:  I  make  a  motion  this  whole  subject 
matter  be  referred  to  a  Committee  of  Five  appointed  by  the  Chair, 
to  make  a  report  to  the  Executive  Board  with  recommendation  and 
action. 

Motion  seconded  by   Delegate   Moriarty. 

DELEGATE  THORNTON:  I  ask  the  unanimous  consent  of 
this  body  to  give  Cornelius  Carmody  the  privilege  of  the  floor  to  explain 
his  position. 

VICE-PRESIDENT  MULLEN:  The  motion  in  my  mind  isn't 
needed.     Any  objection  to  Brother  Carmody  having  the  floor? 

DELEGATE  HANNIGAN:  I  move  the  extension  of  time  of  one 
hour  of  this  Convention.     Motion  seconded. 

VOICE:     Wouldn't  we  have  to  suspend  the  rules? 

VICE-PRESIDENT    MULLEN:       The    Chair    would    rule    No. 

Question  further,  discussed  by  Mr,  C.  J.  Carmody. 

DELEGATE  COMERFORD :  Automatically  unless  a  motion 
is  made  we  adjourn  at  five  o'clock.  I  therefore  move  you  the  time  of 
this  convention  be  extended  one  hour.     Motion  seconded  and  lost.  . 

DELEGATE  McCARTHY:  I  move  you  that  the  time  of  this 
convention  be  extended  until  the  remarks  of  Mr.  Carmody  are  concluded. 
Motion  seconded  and  carried. 

Question  discussed  by  Delegate  Moriarty,  President  Wrenn,  and 
Delegate  Brown. 

President  Wrenn  in  the  chair. 

At  5:15  the  Convention  adjourned  until  9  o'clock  Wednesday 
morning. 

52 


MORNING  SESSION 

Wednesday,  January  24,  1917 

Convention  called  to  order  at  9:13  by  President  Wrenn. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:     Motion  before  the  Convention  is  the 
substitution  of  the  resolution  for  the  Committee's  Report. 
*        DELEGATE  ALDEN:     Can  we  have  the  resolution  itself  read? 

Secretary  Joyce  read   Resolution   No.    2. 

DELEGATE  ALDEN:  The  motion  before  the  house  is  con- 
sideration of  the  resolution  itself  as  it  was  substituted  for  the  report 
of  the   Committee. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:  Motion  is  substitute  resolution  for  the 
report  of  the  Committee. 

Question  discussed  by  Delegate  Alden. 

I  will  amend  the  motion  to  the  extent,  Mr.  Chairman,  Delegate 
Meade  be  required  here  today  to  refuse  to  accept  any  political  appointive 
position  on  this  floor  and  so  declare  it  so  that  we  may  remove  him  im- 
mediately by  this  action  taken  automatically  from  the  position  of 
Legislative   Agent. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:  Any  further  remarks ?  Your  amendment 
wasn't  seconded. 

DELEGATE  SHEEHAN :  I  want  to  ask  the  Secretary  if  there  was 
entertained  yesterday  an  amendment  that  this  whole  matter  be  referred 
to  a  Committee  of  Five  to  be  appointed  by  the  Chairman. 

SECRETARY  JOYCE:  Such  a  motion  was  made  yesterday  by 
Delegate  Driscoll  and  seconded  by  Delegate  Moriarty. 

DELEGATE  DULLEA:  (Point  of  order):  My  point  of  order 
is  a  delegate  cannot  make  a  motion  after  making  a  speech.  (Refer- 
ring to  delegate  Alden). 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:  The  point  of  order  raised  by  Delegate 
Dtdlea  is  technically  correct  that  when  a  man  makes  a  speech  it  is 
not  permissible  but  let  us  use  a  little  reason  and  get  through  with  this 
matter.  There  is  a  resolution  which  the  Secretary  read  on  the  Meade 
matter,  now  everything  included  in  that  resolution,  Delegate  Alden's 
amendment  simply  repeats  what  is  in  the  resolution. 

DELEGATE  ALDEN :    It  immediately  qualifies  action. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN :  The  Chairman  will  rule  the  amendment 
is  provided  for  in  the  resolution. 

Question  further  discussed  by  Delegate  Dullea. 

DELEGATE  ALDEN:  I  wish  to  make  an  amendment.  That 
Delegate  Meade  state  here  to  this  convention  that  he  will  not  take  the 
position  on  the  State  Board  or  retire  from  the  Legislative  Committee 
and  subsequent  to  the  adjournment  of  this  convention  the  Executive 

53 


Board  immediately  proceed  at  a  hearing  with  all  the  personalities  brought 
in,  and  the  responsibility  if  there  by  any,  as  to  his  seeking  the  position,, 
and  clean  up  the  matter  in  that  way,  I  think  we  can  settle  the  law  and 
clear  any  aspersions  on  anyone's  character. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:  I  want  to  make  a  suggestion.  Have 
you  lost  sight  the  motion  is  to  substitute  the  resolution?  The  resolution 
is  printed  and  can  be  read,  ti  you  want  to  make  an  end  to  this  vote 
to  substitute  the  resolution,  and  the  jresolution  will  be  before  you  for 
amendment. 

DELEGATE  BLAKELY:     I  move  for  the  previous  question. 

Previous  question  put  and  ordered. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:     Question  comes  on  substitute. 

Motion  to  substitute  resolution  for  report  of  Committee  carried. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:    The  resolution  is  before  you  for  debate. 

Question  further  discussed  by  Delegates  Moriarty,  Francke,  Laugh- 
lin,  Alden. 

DELEGATE  BROWN:  I  move,  Mr.  President  this  matter  be 
referred  without  prejudice  to  the  Executive  Council  for  proper  action. 

Motion  duly  seconded. 

DELEGATE  THORNTON  of  Boston:  Is  a  motion  to  refer  de- 
batable?    How  is  the  ruling  on  that? 

PRESIDENT  WRENN :  In  the  Rules  of  Order,  it  says  committee. 
In  the  opinion  of  the  Chair,  Chair  rules  it  is  the  same  thing.  Chair 
rules  it  is  not  debatable.  Motion  is  to  refer  to  Executive  Council.  As 
many  in  favor  of  the  motion  signify. 

A  voice  vote  was  taken  and  declared  by  the  Chair  to  be  carried 
in  the  affirmative.  The  vote  being  doubted  a  rising  vote  was  taken 
which  resulted  in  86  in  favor  and  87  opposed. 

Delegate  Brown  requested  a  roll  call  on  the  proposition  and  the 
necessary  number  responding,  the  secretary  proceeded  to  call  the  roll 
which  resulted  as  follows:    Yes  126,  No.  81. 

DELEGATE  ALDEN :  I  want  to  say  that  I  appreciate  the  dele- 
gates clarifying  that  situation.  If  I  were  one  of  the  delegates  involved 
in  the  rriatter,  I  would  want  to  have  the  matter  cleared  up  and  have  the 
charges  thrown  back  and  forth  and  I  therefore  move  you  that  a  Special 
Committee  be  appointed  by  the  Chair.  He  is  now  ordered  to  retire 
from  one  or  the  other.  Clear  up  the  personal  stuff  and  not  take  up  the 
time  of  this  convention. 

I  move  you  that  the  Chair  appoint  a  Committee  of  Five  to  hear 
charges  back  and  forth  and  report  at  the  next  Convention. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:     It  isn't  seconded. 

DELEGATE  GLAVIN:  I  move  you  the  adoption  of  the  reso- 
lution. 

54 


Motion  seconded. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:  It  is  regularly  moved  and  seeonded 
tliat  resolution  before  you  be  adopted. 

DELEGATE  DULLEA:  I  rise  to  make  an  amendment:  That 
this  entire  matter  be  referred  to  a  Committee  of  Five  to  be  appointed 
by  the  Chair  to  make  an  investigation  and  make  a  report  to  the  Execu- 
tive Council  to  make  a  decision  on  the  matter. 

Motion  seconded. 

DELEGATE  ALDEN:  I  withdraw  the  motion  I  was  making  as 
I  was  under  the  impression  he  would  have  to  retire.  I  think  that  point 
should  be  decided,  but  I  am  trying  to  separate  personal  feelings.  I  am 
an  favor  of  the  substitution. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:  That  motion  of  Delegate  Dullea  in 
the  opinion  of  the  Chair  is  similar  to  one  offered  by  Delegate  Alden. 

DELEGATE  LAUGHLIN:  I  want  the  Chair  to  rule  on  this:  if 
the  motion  just  advanced  isn't  substantially  ;the  same  as  decided  on 
by  the  roll  call?     I  want  your  opinion. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:     It  is  for  the  opinion  of  the  floor. 

Motion  of  Delegate  Dullea  put  and  lost. 

DELEGATE  HASKINS:  I  move  that  we  endorse  resolution 
before  the  house. 

Question  discussed  by  Delegates  Brown  and  Scollard. 

Delegate  Thornton  of  Worcester  moved  for  the  previous  ques- 
tion which  was  ^conded. 

DELEGATE  GARRETT  (for  the  Committee) :  There  is  possibly 
a  question  Mr.  Chairman  and  Delegates  raised  today  in  reference  to 
the  first  part  of  Resolution  No.  2.  "That  we  the  delegates  to  the  Mass- 
achusetts State  Branch,  Aj  F.  of  L,  in  session  at  Worcester,  Mass., 
this  day  of  January  do  condemn  Legislative  Agent  John  P.  Meade 
for  allowing  his  name  to  be  used  for  an  appointive  political  office  while 
holding  office  in  this  organization."  It  is  probably  the  question  today. 
It  is  declared  by  many  delegates  who  want  to  defend  Legislative  Repre- 
sentative Meade  they  object  to  the  word  "condemn."  We  believe  for 
the  sake  of  harmony  and  it  is  well  understood  that  Brother  Meade 
has  acknowledged  he  is  in  line,  or  has  at  least  accepted  the  position, 
contrary  to  the  laws  of  this  organization  made  in  New^  Bedford,  that 
we  might  be  able  to  divide  the  two  questions  and  bring  around  the  neices- 
sary  results  of  this  convention  in  order  to  harmonize  the  whole  situa- 
tion by  striking  out  the  first  part  of  Resolution  2  and  carrj^  along,  "Be 
it  further  Resolved,  That  we  the  delegates  to  this  convention,  that 
said  delegate  either  withdraw  his  name  being  now  used  for  an  appointive 
political  office  appo  this  convention  go  on  record  of  declaring  his 
office  vacant." 

55 


I  think  it  is  the  best  course  to  pursue  for  harmony's -sake  and  Ufgc 
the  delegates  to  substitute  this  or  take  up  the  last  paragraph  of  this 
resolution  and, eliminate  the  first  part  of  the  resolution. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN':  The  Chair  is  going  to  make  the  decision 
that  the  previous  question  is  called  for  and  carried,  that  the  Chairman 
of  the  Committee  on  Resolutions  was  given  the  floor.  I  am  going  to 
put  the  previous  question  without  any  further  debate  which  is  the 
adoption  of  the  resolution. 

Previous  question  put  and  declared  lost  by  the  Chair, 

DELEGATE  MORIARTY:  I  will  ask  unanimous  consent  of 
the  convention  to  withdraw  the  first  part  of  the  resolution. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN :    As  suggested  by  the  Chairman? 

DELEGATE  MORIARTY:    As  suggested  by  the  Chairman. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN :  If  there  are  no  objections  it  will  be  with^ 
drawn.  It  is  now  withdrawn,  and  to  make  the  matter  sure,  read  again 
the  last  part  before  you. 

DELEGATE  GARRETT  (for  the  Committee  on  Resolutions); 
reading : 

"Resolved  that  we  the  delegates  to  this  Special  Convention  at 
Worcester  request  that  Delegate  John  P.  Meada  either  withdraw  his 
name  being  now  used  for  an  appointive  political  office,  or  this  con- 
vention go  on  record  of  declaring  his  office  vacant." 

Subject   discussed  by   Delegates   Walsh,   Alperin   and  January. 
•     DELEGATE  JANUARY:     I  move  you  the  previous  question  be 
put. 

Motion  seconded. 

DELEGATE  PEARLSTEIN:  (Point  of  order):  When  a  man 
makes  a  speech  he  can't  call  for  the  previous  question.  Chair  ruled 
point  well  taken. 

On  motion  of  Delegate  Noonan  previous  question  was  called  for, 
put  and  ordered,  unanimously, 

PRESIDENT  WRENN :  Question  comes  on  the  adoption  of  the 
last  part  of  the  resolution  as  read  by  the  Committee  on  Resolutions, 
Question  put  and  amendment  of  Delegate  Moriarty  as  suggested  by 
Committee  carried. 

Entire  proceedings  on  Resolution  2  reported  verbatim,  a  copy 
of  which  is  in  file  at  Headquarters  of  organization, 

DELEGATE  GARRETT  (reporting  for  the  Committee  on  R-eso- 
lutions) , 

RESOLUTION  5 

WHEREAS:  Those  interests  that  are  fighting  to  maintain  the 
so-called  "Open  Shop"  are  aided  to  a  great  degree  by  the  fact 'that  in 
some  parts  of  our  State,   particularly  in  Boston  the  strength  of  the 

S6 


Labor  Movement  is  lessened  owing  to  the  existence  of  dual  so-called 
trade   organizations;  and 

WHEREAS:     Some  of  these,  dual  unions  have  been  actively  en- 
gaged in  breaking  strikes,  keeping  down  wages  and  have  in  no  way  con 
tributed  to  the  progress  of  the  labor  movement  as  represented  by  the 
American  Federation  of  Labor,  therefore  be  it 

RESOLVED:  That  this  convention  regard  these  dual  organiza- 
tions as  necessary  adjuncts  to  the  Employers'  Organizations;  and  be  it 
further 

RESOLVED:  That  the  elimination  of  these  dual  unions  be  in- 
cluded in  the  program  adopted  against  the  Open  Shop  System  by  the 
Massachusetts  State  Branch  A.  F.  of  L. 

W.  C.  FRANCKE, 

Moving  Picture  Operators  182,  Boston, 

The  Committee  approves,  and  recommends  that  at  the  request 
of  the  petitioner,  the  subject  matter  be  referred  to  the  Executive  Council 
and  the  Committee  of  Ten  when  appointed, 

DELEGATE  PEARLSTEIN;  Didn't  the  person  who  made  the 
resolution  ask  you  to  do  that  ? 

DELEGATE  GARRETT;  It  was  at  his  request,  and  the  petitioner 
has  agreed, 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:    The  petitioner  has  agreed. 

DELEGATE  GARRETT:     Petitioner  has  agreed. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:     It  is  so  referred. 

DELEGATE  GARRETT  (for  the  Committee). 

RESOLUTION  4 

WHEREAS:  Much  of  the  judicial  evils  confronting  the  labor 
movement  in  Massachusetts  is  due  to  the  power  granted  to  our  judges 
m  the  issuing  of  injunctions;  and 

WHEREAS:  One  of  the  most  unfair  phases  in  the  granting  of 
injunctions  is  the  power  of  a  judge  to  refer  to  a  "Master"  any  case  which 
calls  for  immediate  relief;  and 

WHEREAS:  It  is  generally  known  that  in  most  cases  so  referred 
to  -a  master  invariably  the  request  for  injunctions  are  granted,  due  to 
the  fact  that  the  judge  is  unable  to  observe  and  judge  the  attitude, 
character  and  general  appearance  of  the  witnesses  and  gets  all  of  his 
information  from  a  written  report  of  the  master  who  is  bound  to  inject 
his  personality  into  his  report;  therefore  be  it 

RESOLVED:  That  a  bill  be  introduced  into  the  Constitutional 
Convention  which  will  eliminate  the  master  and  make  impossible  the 
granting  of  any  injunction  by  any  judge  who  has  not  himself  heard 

57 


all  of  the  evidence  attending  the  granting  of  such  an  injunction,  this 
however  not  to  apply  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  Massachusetts. 
Respectfully  submitted, 
W.  C.  FRANCKE, 

Moving  Picture  Operators  182,  Boston. 

The  Committee  approves,  and  recommends  that  the  Executive 
Board  substitute  the  Anti- Injunction  Bill  for  this  resolution. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:  Any  objections  to  the  recommendation 
of  Committee? 

Question  discussed  by  Delegates  Franc  ke,  Garrett  (for  Committee) 
Sterling,  Connelly  (for  Committee);  Sherman. 

DELEGATE  FRANCKE:  The  time  has  expired  for  introducing 
resolutions.  I  therefore  move  you  Mr.  Chairman  that  the  report  of  that 
Committee  be  substituted  for  a  resolve  drawn  up  for  an  ideal  Anti- 
Injunction  Law  to  be  presented  to  the  Constitutional  Convention. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN :    Drawn  up  by  whom  ? 

DELEGATE  FRANCKE:  Drawn  up  by  the  Executive  Council 
in  time  to  be  put  into  the  Constitutional  Convention. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:     You  mean  the  Legislative  Committee? 

DELEGATE  FRANCKE:    Whoever  does  that  work. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:  That  the  Executive  Council  and  Legis- 
lative Committee  be  instructed  to  present  a  resolve  for  an  ideal  Anti- 
Injunction  Law  to  be  presented  to  the  Constitutional  Convention. 
All  in  favor  manifest  in  the  usual  way. 

Motion  of  Delegate  Francke  carried  unanimously. 

DELEGATE    GARRETT:      (For    the    Committee.) 

RESOLUTION  9 

BE  IT  RESOLVED:     That  we  the  delegates  to  the  State  Branch 
of  the  A.  F.  of  L.  in  Special  Convention  assembled  in  Worcester  favor 
women  citizens  having  the  right  to  vote  on  the  amendments  to  the 
Constitution  that  will  be  submitted  to  a  referendum  vote  of  the  people. 
JULIA  S.  O'CONNOR,  Boston  Tel.  Op.  Union. 
JOAN  GORDON,  Springfield,  Mass.,  Federal  Union.' 
MARGARET  CLEARY,  Textile  Workers  Local  877,  Ludlow. 
MABEL  GILLESPIE,  Women's  Trade  Union  League 
(Fraternal  Delegate). 
Your  Committee  approves  resolution  9  and  recommends  its  adop- 
tion. 

Report  of  Committee  adopted. 

RESOLUTION  7 

RESOLVED:  That  if  Health  Insurance  should  be  found  to  be 
unconstitutional    the    Executive    Committee   is    instructed    to    have    a 

58 


Constitutional   Amendment    brought    before    the    Constitutional    Con- 
vention making  such  a  system  possible  in  this  State. 
HENRY  STERLING, 
Typos*  13,  Boston. 

DELEGATE  HARRIMAN:  I  want  to  have  it  understood  in 
this  Convention  we  shall  say  it  is  contributory  or  non-contributory 
by  the  workers  of  this  state. 

DELEGATE  STERLING:    You  can't  qay  that. 

DELEGATE  HARRIMAN :  We  can.  I  have  sat  in  this  Conven- 
tion quietly  and  heard  men  say  we  can't  do  this  in  this  Convention 
because  it  isn't  legal.  We  are  about  to  change  the  laws  of  our  state 
and  there  is  no  lawyer  or  judge  or  working  man  who  can  say  if  we  want 
things  put  into  the  constitution  that  it  conflicts  with,  any  law  which 
now  exists.  I  don't  want  a  contributory  system  of  insurance,  as  they 
are  trying  to  do,  and  this  convention  isn't  called  because  the  workers 
of  the  state  want  to,  but  there  is  «,n  unrest  in  this  state  and  it  is  possible 
for  them  to  make  a  contribution,  and  I  say  to  you  we  have  to  be  very 
careful  what  we  put  into  this  and  it  is  not  our  province  to  say  whether 
or  not  these  things  are  legal.  We  are  going  to  make  the  things  bad  for 
us  illegal  and  make  them  right  and  I  want  to  start  right  and  don't  want 
just  your  lawyers  to  make  a  constitution  we  are  going  to  have.  I  say 
we  should  have  a  non-contributory  clause,  because  we  have  to  start 
right. 

DELEGATE  SHERMAN:  I  wish  to  very  emphatically  echo  what 
has  been  said,  it  is  my  firm  conviction,  I  am  not  talking  about  the  legal 
side,  you  can't  get  it  by  the  Legislature  this  year,  I  am  sure  any  contrib- 
utory fee  would  be  unconstitutional.  But  whether  it  would  or  would 
not,  whether  I  am  right  about  it  or  not,  makes  no  difference  because 
there  is  practically  no  hope  this  year,  I  am  firmly  convinced  but  if  we 
go  about  it  right,  if  there  is  enough  agitation,  you  can  put  through  the 
Constitutional  Convention  a  non-contributory  clause. 

DELEGATE  HARRIMAN:  I  move  you  the  words  "non-con- 
tributory"  be  included. 

Amendment  seconded  by  Delegate  Sherman  and  carried  unani- 
mously.      Resolution  as  amended  carried  unanimously,  so  as  to  read: 

RESOLUTION  7 

RESOLVED:  That  if  Health  Insurance  should  be  found  to  be 
unconstitutional,  the  Executive  Committee  is  instructed  to  have  a 
Constitutional  Amendment  brought  before  the  Constitutional  Con- 
vention making  a.  non-contributory  system  possible  in  this  State. 

59 


DELEGATE    GARRETT    (For    the   Committee   on  Resolutions) 

RESOLUTION  6 

RESOLVED:  That  we  urge  all  members  of  organized  labor  and 
citizens  generally  to  vote  for  delegates  to  the  Constitutional  Conven- 
tion who  are  in  favor  of  submitting  to  the  voters  an  amendment  em- 
bodying the  Initiative  and  Referendum  (believing  that  measure  in- 
clusive enough  to  embrace  all  other  deisrable  measures)  and  that  it  will 
purify  representative  government  and  make', it  responsive  to  the  public 
will. 

HENRY  STERLING, 

Boston  Typographical  Union  No.  13. 

Your  Committee  approves  and  recommends  the  following  substitute 
for  Resolution  No.  6.  , 

RESOLVED:  That  we  endorse  the  Initiative  and  Referendum 
and  urge  all  voters  to  vote  against  all  candidates  who  are  opposed  to  the 
Initiative  and  Referendum.  ♦ 

Report  of  Committee  adopted. 

RESOLUTION  8 

WHEREAS:  It  has  been  well  stated  by  your  Chairman  that 
the  conditions  under  which  the  workers  exist  in  this  state  is  deplorable 
and  we  as  their  representatives  are  called  here  in  convention  to  try 
and  find  a  solution  of  this  great  problem,  therefore  be  it. 

RESOLVED:  That  inasmuch  as  the  present  Constitution  of  this 
Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts  is  in  the  main  in  accord  with  the  United 
States  Constitution,  which  literally  claims  the  possibility  of  according 
to  all  the  inalienable  rights  of  life,  liberty  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness; 
and 

WHEREAS:  This  declaration  is  impossible  of  fulfilment  so  long 
as  the  gigantic  tools  of  industry  are  owned  and  controlled  by  the  master 
class ;   and 

WHEREAS:  The  present  Governor  of  this  Commonwealth,  Mr. 
McCall,  a  true  representative  of  the  tool-owning  class,  advocated  in 
his  recent  inaugural  such  a  reactionary  measure  as  an  old  age  pension 
of  $65  per  year  to  those  over  70  who  were  absolutely  destitute,  the  object 
of,  this  measure  must  be  obvious  to  all,  when  it  is  an  established  fact 
that  only  a  fraction  of  1  per  cent  of  the  workers  whoever  reach  this  ad- 
vanced age,  there  can,  I  say,  be  only  one  object  in  view  namely  a  mani- 
fest intention  to  thwart  the  rising  discontent  of  the  toiling  masses;  and 

WHEREAS:  His  Excellency  admits  in  this  same  inaugural  that 
the  workers  produce  more  in  thirty  years  of  fast  flying  machinery  than 
they  did  in  centuries  with  the  old  time  methods  of  production  and 

60 


WHEREAvS:  His  Excellency  also  advocates  in  this  same  inaugural 
the  extension  of  military  training,  which  is  now  practically  compulsory 
in  the  nation  by  a  recent  act  of  Congress,  a  complete  departure  from  this 
Country's  tradition  of  the  past;  and 

WHEREAS:  The  President  has  also  stated  in  a  recent  speech 
that  this  country  cannot  keep  out  of  the  next  war ;  and' 

WHEREAS:  The  working  class  of  this  state  and  nation, 
if  thoroughly  united  in  the  political  as  well  as  on  the  economic  field, 
have  it  in  their  power  to  demand  and  enforce  their  just  demands,  namely, 
not  social  insurance,  not  old  age  pensions,  but  a  something  conceded 
by  the  United  States  Commission  on  Industrial  Relations  of  which  the 
Hon.  Frank  P.  Walsh  was  chairman,  namely  the  making  it  possible  for 
each  worker  to  secure  the  full  product  of  this  toil  which  according  to 
statistics  given  to  us  by  Scott  Vearing  amounts  to  $2,280  per  worker 
or  $11,400  for  every  family  averaging  five  persons;  and 

WHEREAS:  This  otie  achieved  you  have  laid  the  foundation  of 
a  true  democracy,  a  new  order — radical  it  is  true,  but  fiilly  in  accord 
with  the  preamble  of  the  United  States  Constitution  which  emphatically 
declares  that  when  any  government  becomes  destructive  of  the  best 
interests  of  society,  it  becomes  not  alone  the  right,  but  the  duty  of  the 
people  to  alter  or  abolish  it  and  institute  a  new  order  which  will  have 
for  its  purpose  the  conservation  of  the  rights,  not  of  a  few,  but  of  all 
the  people;  and 

WHEREAS :  Now  is  the  proper  time  to  offset  the  attempt  to  fasten 
a  militaristic  tyranny  on  the  lives  of  the  only  useful  class  in  society 
as  it  is  riveted  on  the  necks  of  the  belligerent  peoples  of  the  nations 
now  at  war  and; 

WHEREAS:  We  have  it  in  our  power  to  lead  the  wa}"  in  this 
movement  of  human  emancipation,  we  now  call  on  all  the  workers 
irrespective  of  race,  craft,  color  or  religion  to  get  together  as  one  man 
and  thereby  make  once  and  forever  possible  the  fatherhood  of  God 
and  the  brotherhood  of  man.  Idealistic  it  is  true,  but  was  lofty  and 
seemingly  impossible  ideals  that  made  Callileo  &  Bruno  brave  the  torture 
of  the  dungeon  and  the  stake,  made  Columbus  fathom  the  seeming 
limitless  and  pathless  ocean,  Washington  to  give  up  the  comforts  and 
luxury  of  a  country  squire  for  the  hardships  of  the  battlefield,  John 
Brown  to  sacrifice  his  life  on  the  scaffold,  Lovejoy  to  sufTer  martyrdom. 
Garrison  to  suffer  obloquy  and  insults  and  march  through  Boston's 
streets  with  a  halter  around  his  neck,  Wendell  Phillips  to  suffer  the 
ostracism  of  the  high  society  of  his  day  and  thousands  of  others  too 
numerous  to  mention;  and 

61 


WHEREAS:  The  ideals  of  all  those  pale  into  insignificance  when 
compared  with  the  ideal  of  emancipating  completely  the  great  masses 
of  submerged  men,  women  and  even  little  children. 

THEREFORE  BE  IT  RESOLVED:  That  the  opportunity  to  do 
something  worth  your  best  efforts  '  as  many  thinking  women  and 
men  is  now  here  to  once  and  forever  throw  off  the  shroud  of  reaction 
and  put  on  the  mantle  of  class  conscious  activity  to  the  end  that  the 
slaughter  of  brother  by  brother  can  never  be  possible,  so  we  can  truly 
stand  forth  as  a  beacon  light  to  the  rest  of  the  world's  benighted  brethren 
who  now  having  all  seen  the  light  will  never  more  spread  the  abomi- 
nation of  desolation  of  war  over  the  hills  and  valleys  and  hearthstones 
of  their  native  lands. 

DELEGATE  ROURKE, 

Street  Carmen's  Union  589, 

Department  of  Shops. 

Your  Committee  reports  on  Resolution  8  that  it  is  not  within  the 
scope  of  the  Convention  to  act  on  it  and  respectfully  refers  it  back 
to  the  petitioner. 

DELEGATE  SULLIVAN:  I  would  respectfully  move  that  the 
mover  write  in  the  name  of  Robert  Emmet. 

Report  of  Committee  adopted. 

PRESIDENT  WRENN :  Is  there  anything  further  to  come  before 
this  convention?  I  want  to  state  that  the  Committee  of  Ten  which  has 
been  provided  for  by  your  vote,  will  be  appointed  later.  We  also  intend 
to.  call  a  conference  of  other  members  connected  with  the  labor  movement 
so  as  to  make  this  matter  as  effective  as  possible,  and  we  hope  that  those 
we  invite  to  attend  will  find  time  to  do  so.  ' 

DELEGATE  McDONALD,  Boston:  I  would  like  for  the  Com- 
mittee of  Ten  when  they  get  together,  to  see  if  it  isn't  possible  to  get 
in  communication  with  the  American  Federation  of  Labor  and  stop 
the  jurisdiction  squabbles  in  the  Bililding  Trades;  I  think  if  the  juris- 
diction troubles  were  stopped  for  a  while,  a  great  deal  could  be  done. 

DELEGATE  FRANCKE:  Wasn't  there  a  Committee  on  Con- 
stitution appointed? 

PRESIDENT  WRENN:    Yes.  '   • 

DELEGATE  FRANCKE:     Have  they  reported? 

PRESIDENT  WRENN :  There  was  no  matter  came  before  them, 
I  understand. 

DELEGATE  CLARKE:  I  move  that  the  proceedings  of  this 
convention  be  printed  and  mailed'  to  each  delegate. 

Motion  seconded. 

62 


DELEGATE  GARRETT:  I  am  going  to  speak  on  that  motion. 
You  will  understand  we  have  been  taking  the  verbatim  statements 
on  speeches  for  the  last  three  days,  and  you  can  reaHze  what  an  un- 
necessary lot  of  matter  would  be  printed  if  all  is  to  be  compiled  and  sent 
to  each  and  every  delegate.  I  think  the  questions  affecting  us  mostly 
are  those  in  reference  to  the  open  shop  and  the  constitutional  conven- 
tion, and  that  we  shduld  take  the  meat  out  of  that  and  properly  compile 
it  and  send  it  to  each  and  every  delegate,  whereby  it  might  take  up  one 
or  two  pages,  and  also  in  reference  to  constitutional  convention,  where 
is  the  delegate  will  sit  down  and  read  150  pages? 

I  would  like  to  amend  the  motion  to  read  only  the  matter  in  reference 
to  the  open  shop  and  constitutional  convention  be  sent  to  the  delegates 
attending  this  convention. 
Amendment  seconded. 

DELEGATE  MURPHY  589:  Amendment  to  the  amendment:  I 
don't  believe  there  is  any  necessity  of  going  to  the  expense  of  sending 
a  copy  to  each  individual's  home.  You  can  send  a  couple  of  copies  to 
each  local  division  of  the  State  Branch.  What  is  the  use  of  spending 
money  when  you  are  looking  for  money? 

I  make  it  an  amendment  to  the  amendment. 

DELEGATE   McDONALD,   representing  International  Union  of 
Elevator   Constructors   and   Local   Union   4:     As   a  substitute  motion 
for  the  whole,  I  move  that  the  matter  be  turned  over  to  the  Executive 
Board  and  they  do  as  they  see  fit  with  it. 
Substitute  motion  unanimously  carried. 

DELEGATE  MURHPY.  Stablemen's  Union,  Boston:  Question 
of  personal  privilege.  There  is  a  situation  in  Massachusetts  which  is 
probably  not  understood  by  the  delegates  outside  of 
Massachusetts.  The  members  of  the  Fire  Department  are  now  seeing 
the  wisdom  of  organizing  and  as  you  and  I  know,  it  is  very  difficult 
for  these  men  to  take  9,n  active,  part  under  some  of  the  City  Govern- 
ments., When  the  matter  comes  up  of  organizing  the  members  of  the 
Fire  Department  of  your  locality,  I  hope  that  you  will  lend  them  your 
assistance.  In  Boston  we  have  a  local  union,  a  Federal  Local  connected 
with  the  American  Federation  of  Labor.  It  is  now  being  talked  of  all 
over  the  state  to  form  other  locals.  I  hope  the  delegates  present  will 
give  their  assistance  to  these  men  and  when  you  get  that  body  of  men 
into  your  organization  you  will  find  you  have  as  good  a  body  of  men 
who  will  go.  the  entire  route  for  the  labor  movement. 

DELEGATE  GEARY:     I  would  Hke  the  chair  to  give  us  the  in- 
formation as  to  what  time  this  Committee  of  Ten  will  be  appointed? 
PRESIDENT  WRENN :     In  about  a  week. 

63 


PRESIDENT  WRENN:     If  there  is  no  further  business  to  come 
before  this  convention,  I  shall  declare  same  adjourned. 
Adjourned  at  12:03  P.  M.  sine  die. 


J^M^^ 


Secre^y^reasurer. 

MARY  L.  KILLION, 

Asst.  Secretary. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

GEORGE  H.  WRENN, 

J.  WALTER  MULLEN, 

WM.  E.  WARD, 

THOMAS  H.  GERRAUGHTY, 

WILLIAM  E.  NEALEY, 

FRANK  A.  WARNOCK, 

MARTIN  T.  JOYCE, 

Committee. 


64 


